Vermilion Dragon of the Phenex
by Alek Sands
Summary: "Allow me to reintroduce myself, Gremory-san; my name is Hyoudou Issei, I am the Pawn of Eight to Lady Ravel of the House of Phenex, but today it is for Lord Riser, her elder brother whom I fight for. Upon my left arm, I wield the Longinus, {Boosted Gear}, and by this gauntlet, I proclaim myself as this generation's [Sekiryuutei] (Red Dragon Emperor)." AU. Rated M. etc. etc.
1. Prologue

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release, . . . which of course you are already doing if you just happened to stumble upon this flicking up and down the page on.**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

* * *

"You're cornered Riser. Surrender now, and let this Rating Game meet its conclusion."

So said the [Crimson Ruin Princess] – Rias Gremory, daughter of Lord Zeoticus, the current Duke of Gremory, and Lady Venelana, of the House of the Great Kings of Bael. For her, this game was a matter of life and death. Not a literal sense, but a poetic one. Her victory or her defeat meant the end of her freedom as an independent high-class devil. And all of this arose from an engagement that she had never agreed to.

While I myself sympathise with her position, it is not my place to say it. Especially when I am fighting against her, as one of the evil pieces of her betrothed, Lord Riser Phenex, the third son of Lord Rivalen, the current Marquis of Phenex, and Lady Rozalva of the Extinct House of the Marquises of Andrealphus. I may be a fellow student of Kuoh Academy as the young heiress and her peerage members are, but my loyalty remains with my lady and King, and to her family by the most gracious of extensions.

And I volunteered willingly. As was my duty and privilege.

Down to the last hours of the Rating Game organised by, the Maou ( _Satan_ ) Lucifer, Sirzechs Gremory, her older Brother, it was all but won by Riser as both parties stood on opposing sides of the replica of the main school building rooftop, both sides having suffered their own handful of casualties, and the remaining ones standing where inured and their clothes torn in shreds. The exception to this rule of course was Lord Riser himself as well as his little sister, my Lady Ravel, whose clothes and other such injuries were non-existent.

Standing by her side, the naive and timid Bishop, Asia Argento, gifted with the Scared Gear {Twilight Healing}. Her death was one that I had never wished to have happen, such a sweet and innocent soul didn't deserve this fate, especially having come from the side of the Church, it was indeed a cruel fate to have been tossed aside by the Angel Faction, abused and murdered by the Fallen Angels, and the forced into servitude by the Devils. Perhaps, I always wondered, in another lifetime, I could have been the one to save her from this and prevented her getting further involved in any of this.

Alas it is cruel irony that now I must fight her and eliminate her from the game like the rest of her comrades. I just pray to the Maou that she at least retires before the final battle engages. Rias Gremory owes me that much at least.

Surprisingly, also with both girls was a face I was not betting on seeing appear.; the dhamphir and equally timid second Bishop, Gasper Vladi, equally cursed with another Scared Gear; {Forbidden Balor View}. I had little interaction with the half-vampire, if I can call our one and only encounter to be a meaningful conversation, but I later came to know of his extraordinarily strong ability to freeze the perception of time to any he gazes upon at any given moment, but lacked the necessary control to execute it perfectly, and as seen by this battle, he relied little on this ability, and was turned into a surveillance system instead.

For a small kohai ( _underclassman_ ) and fellow devil such as him, I hope that he doesn't get too banged up in the coming battle.

Also standing for her team in an unexpected twist was the Pawn of Four, Saji Genshirou, whom was fighting for her freedom as part of the agreement between herself and his master, Sona Sitri. Armoured in black from his arms to his feet with the will of the Black Dragon King, Vritra, thanks to his own Sacred Gear; {Absorption Line}. From what talks I have had to him, I find him irritable at his best and obnoxious at his worst if it weren't for having a strict master like Kaichou, and his bragging didn't ever improve my perception of him as a person let alone a servant to a House of the Seventy-Two Pillars.

Her Queen, Himejima Akeno, her Knight, Kiba Yuuto, and her Rook, Toujou Koneko, had all but been eliminated before this confrontation, as well as the other pieces she had received on temporary loan from Sona; the Rook, Yura Tsubasa, and the Pawn of One, Nimura Ruruko. When you considered that both our numbers were equal.

Of the seven pieces he had registered for this game, only three remained; His Queen, Yubelluna, better known in the Underworld as Riser's trump card; the infamous [Bomb Queen]. While I had seen her in action before, her compatibility for explosions far exceeded anything I had expected. Being able to knock out Rias' main pieces in this game was no small feat, and she finished two out of the three in one single hit.

The last of Lord Riser's current pieces also still with him is my true King, Lady Ravel. I think the less I say no, the better you would understand the story as it progresses later on. I owe her everything, life, meaning, health, a future more importantly. Even if heaven itself opens itself and strikes me down, I would stand right back up and then drown them all in purgatory before I would let a feather, black or white, even lightly brush against her cheek.

And finally there is also I, of course.

As of right now, I am still waiting.

Mihae. Karlamine. Siris. Isabella. Xuelan. Lord Riser's Rooks, Knights and Bishop. All had fallen in the line of duty just as what was expected of the evil pieces. Though I myself had never had much interaction with them as I should have, I have watched them fight and shed blood for their King, and I fully respected each of their individual abilities. And to Mira, Shuriya, Burent, Marion, Ile and Nel, and Ni and Li, I am both regretful and thankful that I am here to fight in your steads despite my inexperience.

I promise you all, the House of Phenex will emerge victorious.

After hearing of Lady Rias' attempt to finish the game in her favour, Lord Riser did naught but laugh at her words. I should have been up there to protect my lady, but I had been ordered to remain behind, to lie in wait like a common thief in the night. While I may have known my lady's older brother for more of my life than I have known my own parents, I did express great disdain for his flair for the dramatics that he required in every game he partook in. It was not his overconfidence I was showing concern for, but his arrogance.

When he finally made his reply, I received my conformation to finally reveal to my presence. Not just for Rias Gremory, and not just for her family and all their spectators. This was my first true reveal to the Underworld, and my debut as a servant of the House of Phenex as a whole.

"You have certainly been unpredictable, I will grant you that. But surrender; you forget that this isn't my first Rating Game, Rias. Even if you had all your servants intact and fresh in fighting condition, you couldn't hope to stop me alone. With an immortal body as durable as my own, not even the legendary {Power of Destruction} of the Great King Bael can hope to leave more than a temporary bruise on my person."

I could imagine the squinting look in Lady Rias' eyes after being told that her hereditary ability, the same one used by her maternal ancestors of the Bael Clan, and that which made her elder brother infamous as the [Crimson Satan]. Having spent a year with her in school, her emotions were like an open bottle, ready to leak out at the first knock it receives.

"You're overly cocky Riser, I will give you that. And don't think I forgot about the power of {Regeneration} which the House of Phenex is known for. I didn't spend ten weeks in preparation twiddling my thumbs between my hands; I was preparing for the best possible strategy I could possibly attain against you, Riser."

And on cue, Riser would continue to laugh out against attempts to show him up.

"Ahahaha. And this is your best your peerage could amass against me? The [Priestess of Thunder] who you've made your Queen and the wielder of {Sword Birth} whom is your Knight are both defeated, as well as your pint-size Rook and those powerless pieces you undoubtedly borrowed from Miss Sitri. As far as I can see, you have already wasted the better half of your peerage, while I still have my trump card by my side. Between you, your cowardly bishops standing conveniently behind yourself in need of your protection more than they can protect you yourself. And then, there this second-hand child hoping to make his own master proud while fighting in your company. Tell me Rias, was this all you had to bring to the Game? If so, I am disappointed that this is all my future bride could provide in terms of pre-marital entertainment. Even such a small and mundane display as this is not enough to satisfy myself, who has won many previous games that I can be proud of."

Even while I was running around inside the school buildings, I could see the bright red light that was only increasing as Riser continued taunting her. It was by some diabolic miracle that she hadn't decided to lose her call and burst at this point in time. Not that it would make a difference to the outcome anyways.

"Even by those degrading standards you are measuring my team by, the one crucial fact. I am still able to keep count; I have four pieces including myself against your three. Counting the fact that your Queen had to use up one of your {Phoenix Tears} is pride in itself that your team had to resort to using your most priceless resource against us."

Though it was commendable hearing this level of confidence coming from the inexperienced Rias, I knew that there was no doubt that she was too quickly ending the assault while having turned a blind eye to the rest of the battle. Lord Riser was also aware of this, and the fact that his laughter wasn't present should have been the biggest clue to her that Riser was more than just confident in his own victory, he knew he had already won by the time Rias had finished running her mouth.

"My-oh-my. Yes. Yes, even a pure-blooded devil as high as I can admit that having to use a {Phoenix Tear} as a last resort is a true display of power, especially when used by my prized Queen here. But, your own naivety has made you careless when it comes to planning. I'm afraid that this time, your beautiful self as made the crucial error of underestimating me. I still a piece on my on board I have yet to play, Rias."

"You think you can frighten me with such a veil threat. Don't forget, I saw your entire peerage the day you came to enforce our betrothal. While I still despise your very existence, I'm actually grateful you decided to show me your full strength that day by bringing every single one of your pieces to my clubroom; it gave me everything I needed to know in order to plan a trap for every single pieces. Excluding your Queen, everything went as smoothly as a planned it, even if I had to sacrifice more pieces than necessary."

It seemed that Lady Rias Gremory was more than a pretty face and a powerful arsenal. However, to praise her for her deductions would prove too optimistic after her next attack.

"Oh, and I think it's about time I blew off a bit of steam. I wouldn't wish to disgrace my family by losing my demeanour in the middle of my debut, especially to you, Riser."

All I saw as I started ascended the stairs in the Old School Building was a bright red light across the sky as the top floor came closer to m-

*KABOOM*

Amidst the explosion and dust and the smoke that now erupted from the exposure to sudden fiery heat, I had somehow managed to survive a strong attack as the infamous {Power of Destruction} Lady Rias had no doubt been building up since every word that had emptied from Lord Riser's lips.

"Where will your Pawns promote now, Riser?"

Her declaration was a clear one. It was so full of assurance that all lose ends were tied and that the gold was in sight, metaphorically speaking. But unfortunately, her confidence was misplaced. Another one of Lord Riser's triumphant laughs made sure of that, and all the silence in this small constructed world was shattered like broken glass against the floor.

"Pawns? Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahah-Haahhahahahah-Haha Ha Ha ha! Oh, dearie me; I lost myself to the irony for a while there. *ahem* I'm afraid dear Rias, that you will see none of my Pawns this game, not that I hadn't originally intended."

The gasps that must have been coming from Lady Rias and her peerage must have taken in so much of the air from the rooftop that none of the sound ever left between the two exchanges. "No Pawns? What are you saying?"

"It's as I said" he replied, "None of my eight Pawns are present with us in this game. Sorry for the complete disappoint, my beloved Rias. If I had known you were expecting them, I would have laid them out on either side of the red carpet, just for you."

"I'm afraid he's right, Gremory-senpai" Saji explained. "I counted only two Rooks, two Knights and one Bishop being eliminated over the announcements. With eight pawn pieces in the game, it wouldn't have been this easy to keep them around unnoticed for so long without tripping off one of the traps Himejima-dono and Kiba-san planted at the start of the game."

"It's true Buchou" Gasper further emulated. "I s-searched over the map, but I c-c-couldn't find a single one of his p-pawns anywhere. It's like they were n-ev-never here to begin with."

That was probably the biggest shock to not only the Gremory team, but also a lot of the spectators watching. Since Lord Riser was an avid up and coming player, he usually applied the same strategies in every single Rating Game he fought in. His eight Pawns were always the fodder of his team regardless of strength and were generally used for supporting his main pieces or as sacrifices for greater victories as most Pawns are played.

But not this game; it would seem that Lady Rias had never accounted for this scenario, or a scenario where his Pawns never make an appearance, which I didn't find too surprising. Since Pawns needed to be within the base of operation of the opposing King aka the enemy held territory, in order to promote, I would have to guess while pushing through the collapsed planks and rubble of the Old School Building that this show of power served to destroy her own territory to prevent Riser's Pawns for promoting to Queen pieces of all things for a surprise attack.

. . . If I could make one correction to my guess work: Since only normal Pawns need enemy territory to promote.

"What's your game here, Riser? You have a full set of fifteen pieces and you thought of me so weak you would not bother to bring a single one of your pawns to this game."

He laughed again of course, and why wouldn't he, when he now had his future bride clueless and much less composed than she had been earlier into this confrontation. I could only imagine the looks of fear that Asia and Gasper were pulling now, and maybe the sheer look of confusion and stress naturally rolling off of Saji.

"You insult me, my beloved Rias. Truly, I'm hurt you would think so low of me as to deliberately exclude half of my team just because you were new to this game. No, that is not how Riser Phenex plays. Yubelluna is indeed my trump card in every game I have played. But for you, you deserve the best that House of Phenex has to offer; which is why I've brought the dragon to this field. Just. For. You."

"The what?"

"It was hard to argue with him, since he's almost like family. And when he said he would be the only one to protect my sister Ravel, how could I possibly refuse the chance to bring the [Red Dragon Emperor] to my team."

"No. You can't be . . . you're lying."

At which point, I made my entrance.

"Let's do this . . . Ddraig!"

 **["You've got it, Partner."]**

 **["{Welsh Dragon: Balance Breaker!}"]**

Ddraig's call echoed throughout the stadium, just as prepared. And out of an explosion of energy, I broke into view and into the consciousness of every Underworld spectator to witness;

Draped in full blood red coloured metal from head to toe in shining scale mail, I burst through the roof of the Old School Building, wings spread out in full from the ruins of the Occult Research Room's duplicate and swoop over their heads, leading a torrent of wind as I broke through the still air that was filling the battlefield, until I dropped and landed in the centre between the two parties with my back facing the Gremory team, and kneeling in front of my King and her elder brother.

As I stood up and slowly turned my head, and also decided it was prime time I revealed my identity, since it would be undoubtedly uncovered by now. I started speaking, before I allowed the face guard to scatter itself back inside my Sacred Gear.

"My apologies for the late arrival, but I must obey my King's orders, and he demanded a grand entrance for finale of this fight."

As my true eyes firmly set upon the remaining players of Rias Gremory's team, whom I had slowly come to know over a year and a few short months after first coming home to Kuoh, it was an obvious surprise to them when they realised who the man in the red armour was when my brown hair and amber eyes finally rested on them.

". . . Issei-san?"

"Ise-san?"

"Ise-senpai?"

"Hyoudou-san?"

Clanking around in my metal armour, and remembering the mannerism ingrained into me as a member of the Phenex household, I performed a light bow while still fully armoured

"Allow me to reintroduce myself, Gremory-san; my name is Hyoudou Issei, I am the Pawn of Eight to Lady Ravel of the House of Phenex, but today it is for Lord Riser, her elder brother whom I fight for. Upon my left arm, I wield the Longinus, {Boosted Gear}, and by this gauntlet, I proclaim myself as this generation's [Sekiryuutei] ( _Red Dragon Emperor_ )."

As the glowing green eyes of my helm continued to close over my face and then gaze across to my newest opponents, the last words before I started boosting was of Lord Riser's last consecutive taunt before the last battle of this Rating game.

"I'm afraid that you have already lost this fight, Rias. Even if you have already calculated a thousand plans to defeat my Queen, how will you fair against the greatest asset I have in play; a Pawn with the power to slay Gods and Maous alike?"

 **[{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!}]**

* * *

 _Since adolescence,_

 _I have known no joy but this._

 _For which I have pledged_

 _Both my life and soul_

 _In service to my King,_

 _to preserve her dream._

 _For this, I shall be;_

 _the Vermillion Dragon_

 _of Ravel Phenex_

* * *

 **Omake I: Introductions**

-[Somewhere between the worlds of fandom and canon, in a blank empty space in time]-

 **Issei:** Gyah! (Lands on his head. Get's up whilst rubbing it). Ow. Hmm, that's totally weird. Hey Ddraig, you know what's going on here? . . . Ddraig? Ddraig! I guess he's asleep or something. Don't tell me this is some kind of freaky Sacred Gear, like [Dimension Lost] again.

 **?** : Issei Hyoudou.

 **Issei:** Gaah! Who said that?

 **?:** I did.

 **Issei:** (looks at towards the computer screen to the guy sitting away on his computer typing away) You?

 **?** : Yes. Me. I am **User:Alek_Sands**.

 **Issei:** (unimpressed) . . . Weird way to start a conversation. Hey wait! Are you the guy who dragged me out here into the middle of the abyss?

 **Alek:** Ding-ding-ding. Correct. Who else could? This is my fanfiction after all.

 **Issei** : You . . . BASTARD!

 **Alek:** Excuse me?

 **Issei:** You do realise where you kidnapped me from right? I was in the middle of the biggest collection of naked flesh in all of Kuoh. Girls with massive melons. Girls with growing gazongas. And even girls with ity-bity titties. I was swimming in nothing but a Fountain of True Youth. And You Plucked Me From My Greatest Living Fantasy You Jerkass!

 **Alek:** I'm sensing a lot of negative hostility, and I really don't appreciate it. So I will say this in the nicest way possible: shut-up or I will write you so OOC that it will drown you in a flood of negative reviews.

 **Issei:** (nervously worried) Y-you wouldn't.

 **Alek:** (having completed the next set of character speeches) I already started. Just try and make me crank this puppy up to eight and we'll see how much further I can turn it. I shit you not, try and test my patience.

 **Issei:** (miserably defeated) I'm calm. I'm happy. I'm totally cool with this. Woo~oo~hoo~oo.

 **Alek:** Right. Now that's settled. Let's bring in our next guest.

 **Issei:** Guest? Who-

 **?:** (falls on top of Issei) Yeow!

 **Issei:** (crushed) Umph! Ouch-ch-ch. Huh? Ravel-chan?

 **Ravel:** Ise-senpai? (realises that's she's on top and immediately rolls off) Wait, it's not like I wanted to fall on top of you or anything.

 **Alek:** Oi, lovebirds. Cool it will you. Trying to focus here.

 **Ravel** : (flustered) Dd-d-d-don't say things like that. Baka!

 **Alek:** Good, now that that episode is over, let's move on to the reason why I have brought you both here. "The Vermillion Dragon of the Phenex".

 **Issei:** Vermillion Dragon? What kind of dumbass would go for a name so convoluted as that?

 **Alek:** (smirks evily) . . .

 **Issei:** Are you going to say something? . . . Oh Shit, you mean me.

 **Alek:** Ten points to Oppai Dragon. Yes, as the title and the opening prologue already explained, in this fanfiction, Issei Hyoudou is the pawn of Ravel Phenex and not Rias Gremory.

 **Ravel:** Not that I am complaining. (whispers) _Not that I wouldn't want to have Issei with me all the time._ (fantasising) _For all of eternity._ (returns to the present) But that makes very little sense as to why Issei would be fighting on our team instead of Rias'.

 **Alek:** I am glad you asked that, and it's was for that precise reason that I chose that situation; having been an avid reader of fanfiction for a good long while, _and the author of some very short and terrible works myself_ , I noticed that there was a constant pattern that always emerged involving Issei fighting Riser and most of the time being that he joins Rias' peerage as a permanent member more OP than before or as a 'free piece' or some bullshit like that to keep him a loner of some kind.

 **Issei:** (agreement) Yeah, I see those a lot. I don't mind becoming all-powerful like Goku or something like that, but then they make my victory over Riser too easy that it's not even a real fight even more. Others have me kill him as well.

 **Ravel:** (cringe) Dark and gritty. They are really becoming a mundane genre since every Gary Stu thinking he is the next Frank Miller. I'm not bashing, but you're writing this for the wrong reason. _Not that the guy writing this is any better._

 **Alek:** (realising Ravel's reading through his old works) Y-y-y- . . . Look, I was young and foolish, and really, really inexperienced. I just wanted to test the waters . . . (fake cough) _and then never finish another chapter_.

 **Issei** : (deadpanned) You have a terrible reputation it seems.

 **Alek:** (closing down his old stories page from sight) I will just skip over that. Back to the topic at hand; now I was realising that this is a constant and seemed to be unavoidable since whatever scenario took place, Issei would always be there and would side with Rias. The only options coming to my head were if Issei wasn't around, but then that would be changing the rules completely rather than altering the scenario. Since that was a ridiculous notion, I threw it from my thoughts, until I realised I had another option; Issei can't side with Rias because he's already a part of the other team.

 **Issei:** Oh, well that makes sense then. If I was fighting for Riser, then there would be no way that I could be of help to Rias. But . . . Riser of that time only wanted a team of girls to make his own internal harem, _like I want as well_. So, how on earth did you think around that?

 **Alek:** Ravel.

 **Ravel:** (caught off-guard) Me?

 **Alek:** Yes; as Riser's little sister, Issei would have to side with the family if he was in your peerage. Plus, as you would be fighting on Riser's side during the match, Issei would be obligated to at the very least remain neutral in this scenario.

 **Issei:** (puzzled) Then, how am I fighting for Riser if I was to at least be neutral? I don't like the idea of a forced engagement, and neither would I really condone Riser's behaviour if he acted like the jerk playboy he was when he first arrived.

 **Alek:** I already know how, but I won't say anymore as to spoil the rest of the plot. Well, that is all we have time for, but I will hope to speak with you two again when the need arises and other stuff come up. Oh, actually having said that, there is something I should clear up before carrying on to the next chapter; Ravel, you're name. How do you pronounce it?

 **Ravel:** (confused) That's an odd question. It's like its spelled in katakana: "レイヴェル" ( _Reiberu_ ).

 **Issei** : (also confused) Why would you ask that?

 **Alek:** Well, I know a lot of people who think her name is pronounced "Ravel" like in 'Gravel' rather than 'Reivel' like in Raven, and I thought I should just clear. Alright bye then.

 **Issei:** Hey, wait! What about us? How do we get out of here?

 **Alek:** (devilishly) You don't. Bye-bye!

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Also, I will be returning to the Omakes in order to explain things related to the story that I can't always bring up in the story, so questions from the reviewers will also be answered in this pocket universe.**

 **I will also add Haikus to the end of every chapter because, why not?**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**


	2. The Stray Dragon

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release yadda-yadda, you know all this already. I'm just covering myself here.**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

* * *

It was AM 5762 when I, Hyoudou Issei, first met Ravel Phenex. To the human world it was about late 2001 C.E., and in Japan, the 13th year of the Heisei period. I was only ten years old at the time, and I was alone.

The whole day was a blur to me, and I cannot even remember exactly what I had seen that day. I remember a poisonous fog rolling into our house and the life being choked out of me as ever cell in my lungs was bleeding and dripping with figmental fluids that weighed heavily down upon me. The song of a steel blade as it struck across the open air in that high vibrating tone it always has, and then the collapsing of carbon figures upon a wooden floor, the sound of which was rippled in gushing blood and puddles spreading before dripping in slow rhythmic patterns.

I don't remember the faces, or the voices, or even the names being called. But I know who was there; myself, the only survivor of a nocturnal attack in my home, after a crazed man with a sword broke in and killed both of my parents. The attack wasn't right away nor was it an attack that was made on a whim. It was premeditated from what few things relapse through my brain on that night:

There was a doorbell ringing and the door being opened, so at least I can remember that my parents must have known the person, or at least trusted him enough to allow him into our home without much hesitation.

An escalation of voices later, and the voices seemed to grow quieter and hollower, and that was when the toxic smoke started seeping into my bedroom as I pressed my ear against the floor hoping to know what was happening without alerting my parents I was awake past my time.

I know without a doubt that if I had been sleeping, I would have died in my sleep whilst unconsciously inhaling the mist riddled and laced with deceptively sweetened death.

Between those days, sometime I wished I had.

I remember choking and coughing as I tried to leave the house. Perhaps I was calling out to my parents as I stumbled my way through the fog and filthy air. I think I may have tumbled down the stairs after I was nearly a third of the way down, and then crawled my way to the open front door as seeing a shadow move through it. Perhaps I was seeing things, and that shadow was a lamppost that had been made to run across the open door by a passing car's headlights, I cannot be absolutely sure what I was seeing in the dark.

As soon as I broke through the open air, dripping in whatever liquids had been splashes across the halls after I crawled through them, I remember the darkness creating and clawing into my vision and then there was nothing. I saw nothing. I felt nothing. I was one with nothing.

I felt I was sinking, and then I was ascending. And then, I was numb all over as two consecutive horns continued roaring one after the other. I felt the foulness being sucked out of me and then the still calm resting and refilling the empty space that had been unoccupied.

*Beep*~*Beep*~*Beep*~

It wouldn't be any longer than a few days. Two? Three? Five? For the sake of memory I cannot recall everything perfectly as my consciousness continued to slip in and out, day in and day out; one day would be morning, and then I would awake to see the sunrise two days later.

Whatever that poisonous cloud that had skulked its way into my home was, it was barely within the doctors and nurses power to fumigate and remove every trace of it from my body. At one of those conscious days, they had told me of my parent's demise and what would have been settled for my future.

I would have cried, but I was too out of it and far too numb to feel the pain coursing through my body to shed any tears.

Not that my heart suffered naught in the cold depth beneath the tubes and inoculations layering across my porcelain frame.

Every one of those night. I dreamt of the same dream. Of the foulest of fogs, a singing sword, a hurtling of blood-curdling, the swimming stokes across red wood, and then the night coming to claim what was left.

And sometimes, in my dreams. I could hear a voice calling out, reaching out to me.

 _Rise_

 _Arise_

 _Raise_

 _Raze_

 _Lies_

Still to this day, I cannot remember which of these words it was. It wasn't spoken in Japanese, but rather in English, but the feeling I got from hearing that word made me feel strong inside. Whether it inspired more, or if the words filled me to the brim with rage, I fought to live on.

As I re-awoke one of those short hospital days, the first thing that was ringing through my mind was that word that resounded in my dreams. What actions I took, I cannot fully recall to be exact. I know that I got out of my bed, and that by the end I was standing outside on the balcony overlooking the streets. Night had begun to roll in and I was still dragging all the equipment attached and pinned into me. Gripping tightly on the stand where whichever painkillers they had hooked me on continued dripping into the tube feeding into my left hand.

Clenching that hand alone was enough to feel the needle was in there.

As my body, my nutrient deprived body that was more bone than skin, struggled to stand, and my sight was still wavering between nearsight and blindness, I felt something burning inside of me. That burn continued radiating inside my stomach until I was throwing up from standing vertical for so long. I lost most of my vision, ranging from as little as only five metres ahead of me, but the unnaturally purple colour that had erupted out of me sizzled and corroded the concrete structure slowly like it was eating it.

 _Rise_

It was then the voice continued to echo to me, but this time, it was almost like I could hear it being spoken right next to me. I felt another burning sensation rippling from my lungs and from my gut, and then it happened again.

The toxic sludge continued to projectile itself from my gullet, passed my teeth and onto the floor, and I spat away every trace that rolled off my tongue until the taste of it was depleted. But it didn't last long enough for me to savour a sweet moment, as the next volley hurled itself out again.

 _Arise_

I was getting weaker by the moment and I could feel like my life was slipping through my fingers like a piece of fine thread unweaving itself in the wind. I needed to remove the sludge that had invaded my internal organs, and I needed to do so before I was too weak to stay conscious let alone alive. I had an idea. I was going to push the rest of it out with my hand. I was too young and too sick to really be thinking all that logically, but something was waking up in my left hand and it told me to push all my force from it into my abdomens.

 _Raise_

I don't remember if I pulled the needle out, or if it had fallen out when the red light absorbed my hand for the first time, but either way, I manifested my Sacred Gear for the first time on that day. I cannot believe that I did not question why it was there. But, I felt like it was natural, and that it had always been there, like it was never apart from me to begin with.

Of course, being as inexperienced as I was, the Sacred Gear was smaller than its regular look, and it less encased my arm and more appropriately only shielded the back of my hand and my wrist. It didn't matter then. It doesn't even matter as of right now. What mattered and what only mattered at that time was surviving and I was willing to take whatever was given to me.

 _Raze_

As the red gauntlet pressed against my chest, I crushed my eyelids together with whatever strength I had left in my body. ' _I want to live'_ I told myself _'I want to fight'_. I put every ounce of thought into strength, and with that strength, I willed it to go into that gauntlet that encased my left hand, and I ordered it to end this suffering. I was to live today or die today. I forced the gauntlet to listen to my request, and then it started flashing. A cry and a flash. That was all there was.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

And as the light suddenly ceded, I felt a sudden contraction in my chest as all the muscles squeezed and tightened around my lungs and my breath halted also. Then, I felt the very essence of my life being constricted in a death hold as every single force in my body was pushing the last of the toxins from my body. Like sandpaper through my throat, it scraped and clawed as it all came flowing out of me. Without my breathing, I was losing consciousness faster than this tide was spewing. I dug in my own talons and forced myself to stay awake all the while I was losing every ounce of strength quickly.

 _Lies_

At that, the last of it was removed from my system, and now my body was too weak to stay awake as I rolled my eyes into the back of my head and fell over backwards between the indoors and outdoors. I think I came down dragging everything on wheels around me into the floor as well, and I remember hearing various devices smashing and crashing as they came into collision with the cold slated floors.

* * *

I remained in that hospital for three months, eighteen days, and four hours.

I successfully removed the poison from my systems on the second day of the third month.

After the nineteenth day, I was officially dismissed from the emergency services and placed in the government's care. My parents were not rich, I can easily remember that. I had been fortunate enough to have never been in need of anything important, and I always had a party on my birthdays when I still lived with them. But they had no attorney, nor was there any other relatives of ours still living for me to stay.

I was alone in this world for the first and only time in my entire existence.

With no real assets, except for the house I had lived in since I was born, I was left with nothing and was forced to live in an orphanage. As expected, I was dumped off the first instance I was no longer required to be kept under watch and medical care. I was given only three things before I was left behind; a number for a room in some unknown location, a key belonging to what was once my home, and a second key to a storage unit where the remainder of my families memorabilia was being kept in safety until I reached a viable age of consent. I didn't know if they meant I had to be thirteen or twenty, but at the age I was, I was not allowed to touch it.

Not yet.

I'm not going to say that from what I remember of my two month stay at the orphanage that I hated it. No, I definitely didn't hate it. But I didn't enjoy my stay. I was sharing a room with three other boys I have recollection of, except they were all older than me. They didn't beat me or taunt me, or anything nasty as you would expect. No. It was more like they continued on like I had never changed and that my presence had always been there to begin with.

I felt like almost less than nothing.

I ate the same meals with as many as twenty to thirty people in those two months. I walked to and from school with them. Not my school. Kuoh had long been deserted of my presence. I don't even know where it was I was even dropped off at or what the name of my new school was. I was just there and not here where I should have been to start with. But I continued at this routine day in and day out for five days every week, and on weekends, there were chores to be done. On Sunday afternoons, there was only free time.

Like my parents and all the adults in my early life, I do not remember. If I was to try and describe what any of these other children or the carers looked like, there is no possible way I could tell you by memory. I never felt like I was there. I wasn't my home, no matter how hard they tried to make me see that. I was never going to be at home. This was not home. Not my home.

I do remember one thing in particular though. I remember been awoken on a Wednesday night by a call to nature. After having transcended through the corridors in the darkness and returned back to my own room without so much of a change in my routinely pace, I slumped back down onto my covers and just lay there for a while before rolling back over into my bed covers and resting my head in hopes I could at least fall back to sleep as quickly as I had been awakened.

I heard the older boys talking. It may have been late into the night-time, in fact it was in the morning hours if I am remembering correctly. I heard them speaking amongst themselves, but a lot of the words were too hushed and complicated for my ten year old brain to process this later at night. I even doubt that my seventeen year old self would have been all that able to hear what they were twittering to themselves. I just remember hearing one word, and that one word that would carry me from this place in good time: _Akuma_.

Akuma (悪魔) literally means _evil spirit_ , but in modern Japanese, the word is used in equivalence with the Western idea of _demons_ or _devils_.

That one word. The first time I heard it, it meant nothing. But now, I am what I am because of that one word spoken out in the dark of the night from the lips of three older boys in that orphanage.

* * *

Of course, during my time at the orphanage, I hadn't let the memory of the glowing green jewel on a red gauntlet escape my thoughts. In fact, it was the one thing that kept me awake in the day and alert in the night. That ruby stained metal that had appeared on my left hand and saved my life. How could I ever forget something so life changing as that?

Every day, after I had finished school, and every Sunday afternoon when I was permitted my free time, I would walk to an enclave of abandoned buildings, where even the light of the sun had forgotten to reach, and I would try and try again to bring it out. I punched the stone. I punched the air. I even one time tried unleashing it by gripping a metal pipe, but only ended up cutting my palm on the shape edges.

It never appeared.

At least, not for the first four weeks I tried.

I cannot recall every detail I did that one day, but I remember that it ended when I punched my hand through the sun. I reached out and grabbed it as close as I could reach for it, and after I had closed my hand over and pulled it back down to me, the gauntlet came back.

A red ring of hope seeped across my left arm and there as clear as day, studded in full shining scarlet and endowed with a large rounded emerald green orb, and finalised with a decoration of golden yellow. It had finally returned, and all my despair vanished like blowing dust over paper.

I promise not to bore you any further with talk of several weeks of repeating everything like a clockwork marionette. But I will say that I continued this practice for the remainder of the last month I would spend in the human world for a long time. I am glad that I did. If this simplest of actions had failed me when it mattered the most, I know that there is the greatest of certainties that my life would never had reached this crucial point if I couldn't use my Sacred Gear when I most needed it.

I will never forget that day.

That was the day I first met Ravel Phenex.

It was one of those Sunday afternoons I was previously referring to when I was doing my weekly training exercises in the abandoned buildings and ruins of what was once quite a large neighbourhood that had been left for the crows after an earthquake decimated the entire square in one night, or so I had heard.

It was never any real training, or anything that would work up a sweat that was worth the energy I was expending. I was not building up muscles or keeping my form in perfect shape. My training was to better unlock and hopefully use my Sacred Gear.

I actually had no idea what it was that would keep appearing over my hand. It always had that familiar touch to it, and holding it and feeling it all over made it feel like a natural part of my arm by sensory recognition alone. I had taken to referring to it as my "Buushuta", since that was the word that always emerged when it appeared.

Anyways.

As the sun swiftly fell beneath the horizon, and I had only just taken notice that the moon was visible in the sky. I rushed through the rubble as soon as my senses realised I had missed out on dinner. It wasn't that dinner was any good or anything special to me, but any young man who has been playing under the sun all afternoon till dusk gets hungry. The worst part was that since the night had awoken, I had already missed out on dinner, and the orphanage had a no "snacking between, before or after meals" policy, which meant I would be sleeping empty tonight if I had ever gotten back to my bed that night.

Out of the desert that was the uninhabited lands and back towards civilisation, I free-ran over every familiar obstacle I had taken to overcome between my journeys to and from that place, hoping to at least return in time before I got scolded for staying out beyond the designated time I was allotted this one day a week.

The day only worsened when the rain came falling down. It was like the water formed a wall that I had just ran into, because the moment it came down, I was soaked. I remember that feeling of heaviness that came with the storm. My summer clothes were drenched, and any bare skin went bright pick in the cold downpour.

In the darkness and bitter cold, I was forced to take shelter under one of the bridges, where the road drove over the footpath. It was colder in the tunnel, I remember it well. As the water continued hammering on both sides of the bridge, and the light continued to fade. It was an old path and the lights only turned on at designated times rather than by light source. I could hear nothing but the rain and the wind that rustled through to open path, which made the cold clinging to my skin freeze.

There was nothing in this night. Naught but rain. Rain, and tears.

It was only when the light came on and my hearing adjusted to the new echoes in the tunnel. I could still hear the rain, but another sound was also present in the tunnel with me. It first started as the wind, wailing and howling, but it was soft like snow and gentle as if the voice it originated from had lost its volume in the cold.

There in the new illumination, was a small girl with blonde hair styled into two ringlets, in a dress that covered her whole body save her head, hands and feet which remained safe in small leather shoes that remained hidden in the shroud created by the rest of her clothing.

A very occidental styled dress draped in pink and was also decorated and ornate with feathers of reds and yellows and oranges and golds. To a boy as dirt poor as I, she looked like a princess from a fairy-tale story. I think I remember comparing her appearance to an antique doll that was owned by a girl in my classroom that had brought it in for show-and-tell only once with special permission from her grandmother. She was definitely the most beautiful being I had ever seen in my life

When she turned her head and saw me, I looked at her and all I was feeling was concern; her red glazed eyes and tear stained cheeks. I saw small traces of dirt having dusted themselves across the front of her dress and over her knee socks beneath. She wasn't wet, thank the Maou, but it was still a cold night, and very dark indeed.

Cupping her hands together, she looked up at me with wide pleading eyes.

"Woxy ty ygpizosit. Hasyzfy ty eijoly? Yra hylkekes."

While the Devils are well known for being able to communicate in any language they wish, the same with every other supernatural race, they have their own language that they speak amongst themselves. While the Angels use Hebrew, and the Olympians use Greek, and the etc, etc. The Devils of the Underworld are the only known supernatural species to use a language unique to themselves that hasn't evolved alongside modern humanity since its very name is Deftodiz, which translates as means: [Language of the Forbidden], or more bluntly: [Foul Tongue].

For a devil as young as my Lady Ravel at this point at the age of nine, she was only able to speak Deftodiz fluently, and every other language still had their grammatical problems, which even at that was more than commendable, it was not something even a language prodigy could do at the same age.

At this point in her life, she was already learning to speak Latin and Greek (which by all her accounts was nearly as fluent as she could speak Deftodiz), and then to top it off, as all young High-class Devils, there was the top ten human languages in the world, with English at number three, and Japanese only coming in at number nine.

While I would later learn the Deftodiz language before I could even use the translation system equipped into my future evil pieces, for the sake of conveying that I had no knowledge of what she was saying, I will write both what I was hearing, and what I now know she was really saying using brackets.

So in this instance, the first words I heard from her were:

( _"Excuse me. Can you help me? I'm lost."_ )

Of course at the time, I had no idea what she was saying to me. And what was even worse was that I thought she was in serious danger, but had no way of communicating with her. Her language was foreign and she herself was not Japanese, which gave me no sense of hope that I may be able to do anything for her.

". . . Hello? Do you know what I'm saying?"

As I started speaking with her, her quivering started slowing and her breathing began to relax a little. She started wiping away her remaining tears, before she replied to me.

"You speeking Jabaneez?"

For the sake of conveying how unfortunately crude her grammar skills and some pronunciations were at the time, I have decided it would be best to present it in the form of spelling and structuring errors instead. While it was never quite as bad as I am now showing it to be, I think that you understand the general difficulties we had in talking to each other and how much I had to work to understand what she was trying to convey to me, while she struggled to communicate with me as well.

"I'm Issei. Hyoudou Issei"

She stared for a moment, then she started pondering to herself. I first thought she couldn't understand what I was saying, which I understood since even in Japan, Issei is very rarely used, so she may have been trying to work out what 'Issei' meant. I was also mentally cursing to myself, when I realised that using my usual way of speaking was going to be too complicated for someone like her who was trying to understand what I was saying word for word.

If I were to give an example, it would be like "I'm" and "I am" are the same, but are different because of hyphenating. Japanese has grammar like "Watashi" and "Watashi wa yo" which have the exact same meanings, but the addition of words or lack of them convey different ways of speaking and can be confusing for communication.

When she finally replied, it was one of the cutest responses I will ever memorise in my life.

"Hyoudou, oa Issei?"

At first I was the one confused. But after thinking it through and remembering she was foreign, I realised she was confused since I had introduced myself by my first name initially, but then I presented my family name before my given name when I proclaimed it again, where people from the West general wrote names with their given names preceding their family names. It took a while before that revelation occurred to me though, and was dragging out this long pause for too long.

"Issei. Just use 'Issei'."

"Is-sei. I . . . Issei. Issei."

I smiled as she repeated my name over again. I couldn't see how old she was, but I could make the definitive guess she was younger than me based on height alone. Also, her way of speaking was trying to be formal, but it retained the cuteness you hear from kohais ( _underclassmen_ ) when they speak amongst themselves.

"Yes. You got it. Now, what's your name?"

"My naym . . . Ravel Phenex. Please, chust Ravel."

Having finally learnt her name, I thought it was unusual. I was definitely not one to be judging, but I had expected a name that would have been easier to say, like "Jane" or "Natasha". Hear "Ravel", I attempted to say it, but it took me a while to work out the individual katakana I would need to write it out.

"Rei . . . bue . . . ru . . ., Reiberu. Ravel, hmm? Ok then, Ravel-chan."

The moment I added the honorific to her name, she got angry with me. It wasn't so much as she was pulling a tantrum, but the atmosphere was getting very uneasy. It felt as if existence itself was starting to get warped as her dissatisfaction unleashed itself to the environment as well.

"Ravel. Chust Ravel!"

"B-but, um, y-y-you see Ravel-sa-."

For someone who had been brought up to use honorifics when speaking to people, to suddenly drop them was like saying that we were in an intimate relationship. My attempts to make her understand what she was asking me to do was quickly shot down just as quickly as I had brought them up.

"No jan, no zan, just Ravel."

 ***FLASH*CRASH***

"Eeeeep!"

At the sound of the thunder, which had followed a little too uncomfortably close with the lightning, Ravel immediately jumped into my arms. I could feel her little body quiver in my chest as her face pressed against my wet shirt and started sticking against my chest. Initially I felt cold again, but having her this close, I started feeling the heat that was rolling off of her. It was homely and welcoming, like an open fire in the living room on a winter night that radiated all through the house.

*achoo*

Having forgotten how drenched I was from trying to evade the rain, the chills now became conscious and as a result I feared I would catch a cold and fall ill. The worst case scenario would be to catch hypothermia, but would have been too over dramatic whilst I was holding onto the next best thing after a hot water-bottle. Still, it didn't solve the problem with my wet clothes.

"You a wet?"

"Yeah, Ravel-c, Ravel. I was running in the rain before I found you here."

I nearly bit my tongue trying to force myself to skip the honourfics, but I was even a bit more flustered having to explain that I had gotten myself completely soaked while she had been completely dry up until she latched herself onto me. I remember feeling very hot at the moment, and thinking back towards that night, I am considering casting doubt that the heat was produced by Lady Ravel alone.

Instead of being concerned with herself getting soaked in the water that continuously, she placed both her hands forward towards me whilst on her knees and closed her eyes.

I had no idea what she was up to, but then I saw a bright amber light begin to emerge below our feet as a large and decorative circle with a faux image of a bird revolving in the centre. I felt like all the light was begin drawn into it, until all of it suddenly expanded all at once and the ground began to secrete the last thing I had expected to be experiencing this dark and stormy night; air.

Hot air is what appeared. It was strong I can remember, I felt like my whole body had been placed under a blow-dryer after having washed my hands. I'm not going to lie and say I didn't feel the extreme heat, but my attention was not so much focused on the sudden rush of blazing wind that had erupted beneath my feet. No, my focus was on the little girl standing in front of me who managed to summon a tropical gust without so much as breaking a sweat or destroying the concrete I was sitting on in order to produce it.

"Mahou?"

As the bright sun-like circle died down and vanished without leaving so much of a trace, Ravel lowered her arms and then exhaled like she had been holding a lot of her energy back with that one spell.

"? Mahou?"

Quizzing me over my choice of words, I switched up my usual speaking with a few English words I was aware of hoping she might recognise a few of them.

"Um, Majikku. You used Magic."

"Uh-huh. I can yuse magic."

Nodding to my explanation, I was quite shocked that it really was what I had perceived. To think that real magic existed was extraordinary. Not that it was the first time I bore witness, since at the time I was under the assumption that my "Buushuta" could be a magic item. Which, now in hindsight, I can confirm it to be very much so. Getting a little excited now that I was with another magic user, I was getting a little too overexcited over what I thought was a huge coincidence

"Are you a magician?"

"N-Nou. I'm devil."

"Devil? Debiru? . . . ? Akuma?- Akuma!"

At the sound of that word, my body went whiter than snow. I froze and then I jumped back. I felt every hair on my body stand on their ends as the stories of the Akuma came rolling and reeling through my senses.

I started crawling backwards away from her as sweat started pouring nervously down my face. The word 'Akuma' repeating itself as I shut my eyes as tight as I could hold them and tried to imagine I was somewhere else.

"Issei? Watt is wrong?"

I opened my eyes. The sound of her sweet honey voice was enough to make me realise my own idiocy. Instead of fear that over took me, just looking back at her small and harmless form was enough to make me realise how stupidly I had reacted. She wasn't evil. She was just a little girl regardless of what species she was, and as her senpai ( _senior_ ), I should have been looking out for her, not fearing her for what she was not clearly capable of doing towards me.

"Nothing, Ravel. I was just . . . surprised was all. I've never seen a devil before."

"Never?"

"Never."

I regained my composure quickly and remembered that she had gotten rid of all the rain from my clothing, so I thanked her properly for her unequivalable kindness she had shown me. It would have been exceptionally rude for me to leave the situation as it was, especially when the grade of magic she used would have exhausted an average devil at her age of the majoirty of their magic reserves. I may not have been that big to constitute for size, but the grade of magic that would remove the clinging water from my clothes without ripping the fabric, or even burning it from exposure was worth a very decently difficult grade indeed.

Mayhaps her families latent abilities revolving around flame and regeneration may have had a large part in her fluency in this spell.

"Oh, um, Thank you, for drying me."

"No problem."

As she sat by my side, with her arms tucked around her legs as they pushed against the front of her dress like a blanket coveted across a pair of chair legs, I became curious about what kind of devil she was. Based on what I had learned from popular media, I wanted to know if she possessed any inhuman features on her body. The rudeness of my ignorance to common courtesy is quite an embarrassment for the me of today with seven years worth of foresight to regret upon the way i handled my actions in the past.

". . . Do you have a tail?"

She shook he head. "Nou."

"Horns?"

"Na-uh."

"How about wings?"

Her head peaked up, but then her body sort of shrank as well as if to hide it.

"Yes."

"You have wings!" I cried in shock.

"I sed yes!"

"S-s-s-orry."

After that loud outburst, we remained quiet for a while. I am clueless what she was thinking at the time, but with the rain continuing to tumble down, I attempted to regain her conversational trust by reintroducing the topic again.

"Can . . . um. Can I see them, Ravel?"

"Wot?"

"Your wings. Am I allowed?"

"Y-yes. Yoo can see them."

I didn't notice at the time, but Ravel started acting very shyly about her un-human like appendages when I started bringing them up, and now that I had asked to see them, I should have paid attention to how embarrassed she was acting, as if I had asked to see her bare skin. I feel like slapping myself for being so dense in those days, but am constantly haunted with the notion that I will always remember these never changing scenes, nor could I interfere with what had already proceeded back then.

She turned around, with her back now facing me. For a brief moment, I was worried that I was asking her to undress in front of me which would have made me seem like a lecherous child to be demanding this sort of action from the daughter of an obvious apparently noble bred family. But to my relief, there was no such necessary removal required for her to display her wings in all their majesty.

Unlike the usual bat like and skeletal thin wings that is common amongst devils of all kinds regardless of class, pure-blood or reincarnated, the House of Phenex was a rare exception in which their wings were definitely bird like and were a full blaze of controlled flames that fluttered in the wind like soft fluffy features that one would see on baby chicks.

I was completely enamoured by the image of flames licking from the back of her shoulders and they spread out and flapped with no unnatural movements. Even the heat was real, as I felt it on my face, but dared not to touch. The fire that burnt brightly was desirable, and made me realise just how drawn to the light a moth can be since it lives its entire life in the darkness of the night skies.

"Pretty."

"P-Pretty?"

The first words that escaped my mouth after being blessed with such a sight. I couldn't help but express just how gorgeous those wings were and how it only made her appear more beautiful with the light of those fires complementing her features. Even today, I think that the unique properties of her wings make them even more beautiful that even the polychrome of a rainbow, or even the scattering of blossoms in the spring wind are but empty expressions used by people who have never seen true elegant splendour.

If early Japanese artists had even caught a short glimpse of something so gracefully alluring, they would have added them to their collection of setsugetsuka paintings with the addition of summer in the form of wings such as hers, to form . . . "Setsugetsukayoku" (雪月花翼).

"Yeah, it's like you're a tenshi. A flame-winged tenshi."

"Tenji?"

"Tenshi. Um, it's like an . . . uh. Ein-je-ru. Angel. Yes, like an angel."

"NoOo!"

At the sudden explanation that Tenshi (天使) was the Japanese word for _angel_ , she completely freaked out. I was clueless to the ideas of the Abrahamic faiths and had no idea of how significant the feud between the angels and devils were until I had Ravel explain how large her utter disgust and biologically implanted hatred towards the angels was. Her eyes went so large and then shrank till they were gone before she voiced her disgust at my comparison. I could even sense the rise in her body temperature that what water vapor was caught in the air started steaming just blowing in her direction or above.

Either way I tried to calm her down, I was immediately shot down until I admitted defeat that the word 'angel' was a major taboo amongst her kind. I am so very sorry for my disillusions, my lady.

"What? What?"

"Angels are bad!"

"Bad? Bu-."

"Angels are bad! Hunt us devils, bodh them and the Foarlen. Always hunting uz. Devils not bad! Angels are bad!

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You're right. Angels are bad. I'm sorry."

It took longer than previous attempt to calm her down. Her anger was real and not even the thunder outside was fazing her. She was so strong-willed even in those days, and had no problems expressing her opinions when they mattered of great importance to her.

The very notion that I had compared her to an angel, which while by human standards was a good thing, meaning that I thought she was inhumanly pure and . . . as what you could expect when associating someone with an angel. But to a devil, it was very much like an insult to her very being and the equivalence to being told she was mindless and obedient with no sense of morals nor with personality.

Or as she so poetically described it, when I asked her years later. I don't think it can be something easily forgiven. I would always be apologising for that mistake, even when she later learned that I had attempted to compliment her with something that was considered of high standards in human customs.

I had no idea how to get her to talk again, and after the whole 'angel' comparisons, I was worried I may have lost her trust completely and that we would both sit here in absolute silence for the rest of the night, with that rain continuing to penetrate the land, whilst we sat here under the gaze of the lamppost that kept us in the light in this darkest of nights.

It was actually by my nervous tapping against my left arm that the idea had suddenly sprung to my mind.

"I can do magic too."

She turned her head in disbelief. "Really?"

I nervously rubbed the back of my head and scratched my teeth, but not at the same time. I don't actually remember which I was doing first and what I was doing the later, but both of them register as familiar with this particular scene.

"Well, sort of. I don't know if it's magic, but I can make a gauntlet appear over my left hand whenever I want."

"You can? Are yoo a magician?"

"No. I've never thought of myself as a magician, and this is the only thing I can do."

I stood up and made my way to the centre of the light that spread out in an uneven circle on the concrete floor, imagining that I was a Ranger from a certain Sentai show, or a Masked Rider about to transform and defeat all the evils that threatened the world.

I raised my left arm in front of me.

"Watch this; Go Buushuta!"

 **["{Boost!}"]**

After several strong punches and movements that did battle against the open air, my arm was reabsorbed in blood thirsty red light, and it appeared.

I had expected Ravel to be amazed by my unique ability, but she was caught in a state of absolute surprise that she wasn't even speaking. Her expression was caught between joy and disbelief. She continued to stare at it until her mouth started flapping as her words refused to come to life in her throat. And then she what had caught her in such a state of suspension.

"Offezople! Sacred Gear!"

"What? Sei-ku-re . . . wait, what?"

"Sacred Gear! Artefacts of the Kamisama! ( _God_ ), all really rare. You are luckee. Yoo are unique."

"Artefact of God?"

"Yes. Sacred Gears are rare. Onlee so few of them. All are veree powerful. But onlee thirteen can kill Gods. The [Longinus]."

"Ron-jai-nu-su?"

"God killing Sacred Gears. So strong, they can kill Gods and Satans alike."

The ability to kill God. This thing? No, I was getting a head of myself at the time. I had no clue what my Scared Gear even was, let alone had the right to suddenly declare that mine happened to be one of the thirteen Longinus, that even the gods feared. Imagine my surprise when I was told that this little plate of metal on my lower left arm that only protected the back of my hand and wrist would later be recognised as in infamous weapon that had the potential to eliminate the most powerful beings in the world.

"Ravel Hiyddo."

( _"Lady Ravel."_ )

A voice in the dark shouted out. I heard the words, but understood them not. But for Ravel, it was not just the words she understood, but also as to whom these words had belonged to.

"Zemele zyfealzalal!"

( _"Big sister Zemele!"_ )

As she cried out into the dark, in a mixture of surprise and personal relief. She knew the stranger in the dark, and the stranger was looking for her.

Out from the shadows emerged a woman who looked to be in her earliest of twenties, but as I would later find out was among the many of devil society who were older than their appearances seemed to project. I guess you could say this was literal representation of looking how you feel on the inside.

This women in particular wasn't just some common servant from her family's household, nor was she a devil of low social stature. This woman's name was Zemele of the House of Murmur. She still is the Bishop of Ravel's second eldest brother, Rayzem, and also as I later found out, was also his wife which came as a real shock to me when I later found out that fact.

As she was not Ravel's sister by birth, It was no shock that she and Ravel looked very different in terms of looks; whereas Ravel and all her family where golden haired and blue eyed, Zemele had deep purple hair and pinkish red eyes. She wasn't also dressed like a noblewoman, but neither did she look like a maid or any form of servant from what I could gather, having been draped in more eloquent clothes that seemed more appropriate for a priest or a sorceress, while simultaneously, my vision occasionally blurred a bit and I could have sworn she sometimes looked like she was wearing more casual clothes, but it appeared that the glamour was interfering with my sight too much for the ten year old me at the time to think I was seeing the truth.

When she caught sight of Ravel, she instantly placed both her hands over her heart and sighed in pleasant relief with both eyes shut as she did this.

"Viek lydyjeit, yra sofkyt efjyfes sy. Fyfe typit ok Botedeolyz Feneks. Zaddepeso tosyl hoslez sie."

( _"What a relief, I have finally found you. Please come back with me to the Phenex Household. Your mother and father are worried about you."_ )

Recognising that unknown language again as being the same that Ravel had first uttered, and from Ravel's more positive attitude, I felt a wave of my own relief washing over me, as this unknown person approaching us was

While her eyes appeared to have very deep concern towards Lady Ravel, at the same time she only looked at me, and I saw nearly every emotion switch off like they had never been there. This sudden alteration between person to robot-like freaked me out a little, and being as young as I was, I hid that fact very terribly from both of the devils in front of me.

Despite my unseemly reaction to her presence, she made a small courteous bow in my direction and spoke her compliments towards me.

"Rloseoz sexe piloy Ravel Hiyddo."

"Um?"

"She sed 'thank yoo for looking after mee'." Ravel interjected, before she too followed in her sister-in-laws example and gave thanks in the exact same manner. "Thank you az well. I wood have bin scared this hole time, if yoo were not there."

I got really embarrassed by this sudden barrage of gratitude that was aimed in my direction. I got that hot feeling again, but it wasn't just in my face, but it seemed to have started spreading into my chest as well. I had no idea what it meant to have these kind of feelings at that time, but it felt very nice, whilst simultaneously sharing a feeling of shyness that came over me in shifting waves which made my body feel all mixed and mashed in the confusion.

I finally got my words across, but I admit that there had been so much stuttering at the time, that I have opted to remove it to make the passage readable.

"No problem, Ravel. Thank you as well."

*GURGLE*

Now instead of happiness and embarrassment, I was just plain and simply embarrassed after the sound of my stomach rumbling from the complete devoid of food. Covering my belling with both hands, bright red in my displeasure, I made my folly of an attempt to create an apology for this predicament.

"My apologies. I haven't eaten all day, . . . and the orphanage is probably already closed."

Orphanage. It was a word not uncommon, but it was the only one that suddenly mattered to Ravel. Once she had managed to wrack her limited knowledge of my native tongue into her mind and translate it so she could understand what I had just named, her expression dropped into a combination of concern and confusion.

"Orphanage? Not home?"

The sudden mention of home made me feel sad, and the depression was like a plague as the sudden downcast in my fascial and bodily expressions rubbed instantly off onto Ravel without my knowledge. That too shall be a memory I will hang onto, in order to remind myself what damage a fallen expression can cause to the people surrounding who happen to witness it.

"Yeah, I have no home."

My reply was short and it was sad. I remember the heartache I felt having to say those words out loud, and then all at once it was like I was reliving all those cruel and painful events all at once; from black smoke and songs of swords to coughing pure venom and falling into a routinely half-dead life. I should really have watched what I was saying. I feel almost stubborn now to have to remember how selfishly I had spoken, until I recall that every word I had spoken that day was only a small piece of what lead to my salvation.

There had been a long silence between those words and what had happened, but Ravel's head had been working at a more efficient rate that I could have every hoped to achieve for many years to come. I wasn't watching what she was doing, nor would I have been able to guess what she was planning on achieving after the conclusion of my previous sentence, but I will forever be grateful that she spoke up when she did.

"Yghypsoly o tefisez. Torfit ahiz yzs odeviek hletit."

( _"Wait for a minute. There is something important I need to do first."_ )

Having spoken up to Zemele, before looking back at me, I had no clue as to what I was going to be offered but the little devil princess standing before me. When she stepped right up close to me, within so close a distance that she could have tipped her head forward and touch my chest. Looking upwards into me, she was almost hesitant to speak what she had on her mind, but then she smacked her cheeks with her hands and just came out and said it without holding anything back from her mind.

"Wood you like too come home with me, Issei?"

"Home? You mean like for dinner?"

She shook her head almost violently, like the sudden confidence in her words might lose their meaning if she didn't burn the same amount of energy she was using with her actions as she did to express her words.

"No. I mean like forefer."

"Forever? Forever-forever?"

"Vorever-Forefer-Foreva."

It was at this point that the person who had come to collect her thought it was best to talk to her about this proposition she was inviting me to partake in. Instead of saying a word, she grabbed Ravel's hand and almost forcefully pulled her away far enough from me where she could talk to Ravel with some sense of privacy, but still kept me within sights reach in case she had quarrels regarding leaving me alone.

Or at least that's how Ravel described it when I asked why she had to be taken from being so close to me when I wasn't able to understand what either of them were saying when they talked in privacy.

"Hdopyly paresoly viek zohez lydeviez etorefyt siot watefyt o sy viadexys hloypafyt efjyfylez. Ze o sy kydepeoz, hlasefiz ok huswafyz oysosyt hloyzsadoxal okjyfsit siit."

( _"Please think about what image you are setting for the rest of your family by bringing in any random human you happen to find. If it's a pet that you wanted, then wait till you're old enough for a familiar."_ )

"Fada kydepeez huswafepiz jyd. Fada otepa; vieo faf zit zepis vie tewe zittit ryfiz keoxade. Of ty kylekys Japonika hlahley hazzit kepyly. Ef hlealkefyz yzzy iada.

( _"I don't want a pet, or a familiar. I want a friend; one that doesn't like me because I'm a high-class devil. Or makes fun of me because I can't speak Japanese properly. I want him to be in my peerage."_ )

"Ravel Hiyddo, faf hasyzs yzzy ef viadexys hlealkefyz zepis okk. Sythylofkit zexe viaviy sode wafaly, ahalsys viak boxidazo Ifeiz Offezople."

( _"Lady Ravel, you cannot just add any random being into your peerage. For him to even qualify for such an honour, he would need to require one of the legendary Sacred Gears."_ )

"Zyk faf jeke tytysehzit! Ys o lixlit poyzsiz ys hasyzs japoly ef zefezslo zio, zepis torepoy!"

( _"But he does, I have seen it for myself! He has a red gauntlet that he can summon like magic on his left hand!"_ )

I had not been able to follow the conversation on bit due to my lack of knowledge of Deftodiz, which left me largely in the dark during their furious exchange. I saw how each conversation was a duel of expression, starting from Zemele acting like an aloof servant, followed by Ravel's indisputable anger that struck with fury after every syllable in her words, which Zemele countered with familial concern when she got on one knee and had both her hands on her shoulders, and lastly when Ravel shot back with fierce determination like she had suddenly struck gold and got almost excited as if her hopes had suddenly been raised from the shadows of a deep hole she was struggling to escape from.

One of those words Ravel said appeared to roll off Zemele's lips, but I couldn't hear it very well as she whispered back. After that, her neutral gaze fell on towards me as her left hand dropped from Ravel's shoulder and signaled towards where I was standing idly by in neglection.

"Excuse me, young man. But would you be so kind to allow me to see this gauntlet on your left arm?"

Her perfect Japanese caught me off guard at that moment. I was also disillusioned by the heated conversation that I was almost lost in my own thoughts as my eyes wandered daydreamingly between the two of them. To be suddenly acknowledged like that, and what more the fact she was speaking so politely towards me was a really great shock to my ten year old self.

I of course complied with her request with full cooperation.

"Um, yes. Of course . . ."

I raised up my left arm like I had done for Ravel not long before she had arrived. Without making my now embarrassing summoning declaration, I brought it out for her to observe.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

Taking hold of my gauntlet, she placed a hand over the jewel with her right hand, while holding from underneath with her left hand. I remember the uneasy feeling I got from my left hand, as it began to shake on its own. It was visible to the eye, but as it was attached to me, the vibrations that originated from the gauntlet were making my arm rattle inside of it, all the while Lady Zemele was analysing and scanning the properties of my Sacred Gear, with both her eyes closed and her finger tips glowing as she projected her mind's vision through the armament granted to be by God.

I don't know exactly what happened, and neither did Ddraig since he had yet to awaken then, but her eyes shot open almost immediately and her breathing came out shaky like she had come face to face with a monster. As I stared into her cherry coloured eyes innocently concerned with her, she suddenly shot back to her senses and looked back into mine.

"May I ask your name, young man?"

"It's Hyoudou Issei, . . . "

I hesitated again, I almost wanted to address her with some form of formal honorific, but I couldn't decide which would have been more appropriate; 'kaasama' (which she may have taken offence to because she really didn't look like she was that old to be considered middle-aged) or 'oneesama' (which I was concerned she would confuse between me stating her as a younger woman or as my older sister without intentions due to my own lack of previous knowledge in how well versed she was in Japanese).

I was lucky though, and I got away with never having to mention it again. Her more solemn and detached expression towards me melted away, and I felt more relaxed as she took a little bow and followed up quickly to ease me further when made a small considerate smile towards me.

"Thank you, Hyoudou-san. I am Zemele Phenex, the wife of Lady Ravel's niisama ( _older brother_ ), Lord Rayzem."

I exhaled a little too loudly in relief I'm ashamed to admit, but that didn't at all matter at this moment when Zemele then turned and spoke with Ravel.

"Ys efjyfso yzs Katefiz ys Katefo Feneks zsoset lybylly siit. Vioyza ygzhypsofkoy patholotil hoida ofsy esyl yzs."

( _"I shall report your findings to Lord and Lady Phenex immediately. Please wait for a moment before we prepare to make the trip home."_ )

Having had no clue what she had told her before leaving our presence, I was taken by total surprise when I saw Ravel's face light up, cheeks fully red with happiness, which she followed up with by leaping back into me and grabbing hold of both my hand and shaking them in any direction she could. The blissful smile on that face is another memory I continue to treasure to this day. I remember every detail of her happiness, and photographed every unorthodox action that was not for a proper lady to do in such situation but she nonetheless gleefully performed regardless with such childish lack of care in the world, because it would become a day I would always be glad to look back upon.

"Year, wee did it, Issei!"

"Ravel?"

Looking up briefly at me with large open eyes, she still had her face frozen with the largest smile I had ever seen on anyone to date.

"What Big Sister Zemele says, it means that yoo can come home with uz. Isn't that greyt! Weel be togeva forafer!"

And that was that; after suffering through life as a human since the death of my parents, I was suddenly going to be whisked off to a castle in a faraway place. Even when I had hit my lowest countless times in this short life of mine at this point, seeing that innocent and instantly carefree smile on her rounded symmetric face washed all those plugged up memories into nothing more than paintings on a canvas yet to be filled.

Had it not been for Ravel Phenex, I may never have found my place in this world. I heard a call reaching out to me, and it started on this day. The day I met a nine year old devil princess with ringlets in her hair.

* * *

 _What is there in death_

 _that creates such temptation_

 _to sow such sorrow?_

 _Misery and null._

 _Hope is but an abandoned;_

 _lost, scared and alone._

 _Nigh. Because of you_

 _I live. No one but you, whom_

 _I owe it all to._

* * *

 **Omake II: Languages**

 **Alek:** Welcome back again.

 **Issei:** (ticked off) Are you just going to keep us here or what?

 **Alek:** I thought it would be better since I wouldn't ruin another opportunity for you again.

 **Issei:** (not satisfied) By keeping me trapped here you mean.

 **Alek:** Yes, pretty much.

 **Issei:** (sighing) I guess it can't be helped. Oh, and might I add some criticism of my own?

 **Alek:** (looking at the viewers) Sure thing. I am open to criticism and any sort of mistakes I make pointed out so i can correct them and what not. Hit me, Issei.

 **Issei:** (angry) You Killed MY Parents!

 **Alek:** Yes.

 **Issei:** (stunned) What? No reaction? What about you wanting to do something original. Killing off my parents as characters is not f**king origin- Did you just 'bleep' me?

 **Alek:** Accident. (skipping over that incident) Well then, tell me one important role your parents took between volumes 1-20?

 **Issei:** . . . Um. Uh. . . Y-, no. Um. Parent's Day! (shrinks from no reactions from Alek), um . . . Renova- (stops when he shrinks again), . . . oh, what-, no. No.

 **Alek:** I rest my case. And also, How else were you going to be Ravel's Pawn if we were still following the canon timeline? You didn't even meet Ravel until you were already in high school, so how else was I suppose to instrument a meeting between you two in which you were able

 **Issei:** (whited out after realising he has no clue) . . .

 **Ravel:** How about you get killed by a Fallen Angel and I revive you.

 **Alek:** (blank) No one ever told you did they?

 **Ravel:** (confused) What do you-, wait! That's how you were revived in the canon?

 **Issei:** (nodding) Yep. It actually plays a big role in my development in volume 10, so it wasn't for nothing. Actually, how does killing my parent's off further my development?

 **Alek:** Wait and see. Right, back to what we came here to do.

 **Ravel:** So what do you want to talk about with us this time?

 **Alek:** Well, first I want to get through the questions in the reviews first. (To the readers) _Oh, and by the way; thank you to all of you who decided to review, favourite and/or follow this story. I really appreciate the enthusiasm._ Ok then, first question. Ravel, if you would do the honours.

 **Ravel:** (shrugs) Might as well, there is little else happening right now. (Picks up the review from **User:Dragon_Rider_66** , then clears her throat whilst skipping to the questions). " _. . ._ _does that mean Ravel has other pieces or no? And why do I get a strange feeling that Issei's armor's going to get some orange into its color-scheme in the future?_ " (thinks the question over) Hmm, those are some valuable questions to consider. Well, Author-san?

 **Alek:** Right, to the first question; Chapter V is when you want to look out for since I don't want to spoil anything yet. But, yes I do have plans for Ravel to have an entire peerage.

 **Ravel:** (shocked) R-really?

 **Alek:** Yes. See, when I was planning this story-

 **Issei:** (interupting) You planned this?

 **Alek:** (slightly ticked) . . . Yes. I planned this story out and as I progressed, I started adding characters and then I thought it would be good to add them to the peerage, and then it sort of goes like that. While I cannot say too much about it, I will say that many characters will be developed before I add them, mostly OC's, but I can say that one or two will appear within the timeline between when this chapter takes place and when the prologue starts from, so they will appear in this arc. But I won't say who. It's a surprise.

 **Ravel:** (curious) Out of curiosity, how far have you planned out.

 **Alek:** (nonchalant) Oh, I've already caught up to the main novel in terms of timescale and events. Around- No, too much of a spoiler already, I won't say more.

 **Issei:** (accepting) Ok, and what about my armour. **'66'** mentioned that also, something about the colour change. Does that have something to do with the title?

 **Alek:** Well, you recall your most powerful power-up via evil pieces, correct Issei?

 **Issei:** (smug) How can I not, my {Cardinal Crimson Promotion} is among one of my crowning achievements. The first [Sekiryuutei] in history to create a strength that outclassed the {Juggernaut Drive}, even Ddraig was impressed with the growth I displayed. Heck, I managed to defeat Sairaorg with that very armour on the first day I ever used it. (straight talking) Yes, why?

 **Alek:** Well, why is it Crimson and not Red?

 **Issei:** (eyeing him) Where are you going with this? Crimson is Rias' colour, so of course I would choose that colour.

 **Alek:** And that is your answer.

 **Issei:** (confused) Wait! That doesn't answer anything. You didn't say 'yes' or 'no' if it existed.

 **Alek:** (blank expression) . . . 'Yes' (fake cough) _in Arc III_.

 **Issei:** Arc what?

 **Alek:** Moving on! Next question is from **User:** **Ashzaroth** , who asks " _do you plan on continuing this story, or is this merely a one shot like all of your others?_ ". (realises someone actually looked over his userpage and feels embarassed) . . . Um. Y~Yes.

 **Ravel:** (rolls her eyes) He's not kidding when he talks about your reputation with stories.

 **Alek:** Sorry, I just got bored with them, and then I ran out of any motivation to continue writing. (laughs internally) _I have a whole folder in my memory stick full of unfinished chapter twos. It's pretty sad._

 **Issei:** (reading the question over) Um, do either of you know what a " _Coudersport"_.

 **Ravel:** (analysing) It might be a typo, like he could have been writing 'could', like " _. . . Image at the end **could** be done without . . . _ ", but I have no idea how the rest of the word would have worked with the sentence.

 **Alek:** I haven't a clue. (to **Ash** ) If you are reading this, please tell what you meant by 'Coudersport'.

 **Issei:** (reads something interesting in the review) W-w-w-wait! He also asks something about us not doing this omake segment anymore since it ruined the mood in his opinion. (eyes shine) That means we can get out of this place, and go back to my little pieces of heaven on earth. So, Author-san, are we making this official?

 **Alek:** (pauses) . . . No. Last question by **User:The_Fool**. Issei, you take this.

 **Issei:** (disappointed) . . . Ok then. (clears throat) _". . . Have you thought about creating Ravel's own peerage and basically replace the role of the ORC with her peerage?"._ Haven't you already cleared this?

 **Alek:** First part yes, but the second part has gone unanswered: Replacing the ORC members as main characters is something that would naturally progress as Ravel gets more members of course, plus since Issei isn't directly affiliated with Rias except that she is the owner of Kuoh for the Devil Faction, so none of her peerage would be living with him for instance.

 **Issei:** (disappointed) While I understand the logic, I can't believe that I lose out on my harem because of a simply technicality as not being together anymore.

 **Alek:** Well, it's not like your perverted in this fanfiction. T _hank God, I have no idea how I would satisfy readers when I never had any practice._ But, that doesn't mean you don't have other perks. (whispering) _Plus, I never said there wouldn't be a harem._

 **Issei:** (thought he heard something) Huh?

 **Alek:** (realised he may have heard) I, uh,I-I-I wanted to have Ravel better explain Deftodiz a bit better to the readers, s-since many of them are probably trying to read it, and even fewer actually trying to use it a real language. It takes a devil to explain the devil's language.

 **Ravel** (proudly accepting) Hmm, well that's to be expected. Why ask a novice when you can ask the master.

 **Issei:** Are you implying you're a master of the language.

 **Ravel:** It is my mother tongue after all.

 **Issei:** But Ishibumi never wrote about us having a separate language, and I sure as hell never needed to use it.

 **Ravel:** (tutting) Honestly Ise-senpai, does Rias-sama never teach you anything about how magic works at all? Even now when you are a High-class devil, you still have so much you are clueless about. Luckily I am here to help Ise-senpai whenever he needs it.

 **Issei:** (anime tearing) I am so lucky to have Ravel-chan as my manager.

 **Alek:** (fake coughing) Ravel.

 **Ravel:** (comes to the realisation) Oh! Right! Hai, Alek-dono; Deftodiz is a constructed language that is actually a lot simpler than you would expect. While none of its words have any real connections to real world languages, it uses what is known as the 'rhefugian cipher'.

 **Issei:** (confused) . . . Rhefugian? What on earth is that? Plus what is a cipher, and what does that even mean when you put it together.

 **Ravel:** Rhefugi is the internet based demon language. And a cipher is a method in which writing is disguised while retaining a recognisable form of reading to those who know the code. By this input method, English words could be turned from A B C's into O X P's and etc. etc.

 **Issei:** Oh, I see; so the words in Deftodiz are just the Rhefugian transliteration of English words. Simple.

 **Ravel:** Actually, that's a no.

 **Issei:** Uh?

 **Ravel:** Remember, English in its current form has gone through a massive transition from its origins to what it is today, and even today its split between "Traditional British English" and "Simplified American English". Modern English from both sects are a formulae made from the result of refining Middle English using Greek and Latin, which in itself was a combination of Old English, Old Norse and Norman French with several words being loaned from other languages. Since the devils have been around before even the concept of English was around, there was no way to just use English. Plus the readers would have picked up on this earlier when they notice the similarities between words from Deftodiz and English being shown side-by-side.

 **Issei:** (curious) Huh. I never thought about that. So which language is used then?

 **Ravel:** Latin.

 **Issei:** (disappointed) Wait, what?

 **Ravel:** What is it, Ise-senpai?

 **Issei:** I'm not saying that using Latin isn't good, I'm just saying that Latin is a dead language, and the only ones who speak it on a regular basis are the Catholic sects of Christianity, but not even they have a fixed pronounciation.

 **Ravel:** And that's why it works.

 **Issei:** (lost for thought) . . . I'm gonna need you to explain that to me. I can't seem to wrap my head around it.

 **Ravel:** Of, course. I will do anything to make Ise-senpai's life easier.

 **Issei:** (whispers to the author _) I think she may be getting a little too OOC_.

 **Alek:** (whispering back) _I know, but who cares. You're talking to a fan from the real world. How much more OOC can you get?_

 **Ravel:** (talking while oblivious) While what Ise-senpai said is correct that Latin is still used by the Catholic Church, it is because it is a holy language that makes it perfect; since Catholicism would have been the dominant religion in Europe for a long while, basing the devil language on a large corruption of it makes it the ideal tongue for the race they so despise. To utter the twisted inversion of Christ's church's word is to invoke the dark powers of the Underworld itself. Something like that I guess.

 **Issei:** Well that makes sense.

 **Alek:** Now, how about we actually explain how to read Deftodiz.

 **Ravel:** Hai; with the exception of C and Q, Deftodiz has all the same letters as English does, but we do have different pronunciations of these letters.

 **Issei** : Oh. I never would have guessed by just looking at them. I really should have been paying attention when I was learning the alphabet for my Middle-class promotion exams.

 **Ravel:** (confused) Um, Ise-senpai. We have an Abjad, not an Alphabet.

 **Issei:** (surprised) What?

 **Ravel:** Abjad: a writing system without any letter forms for any vowel sounds. It's the same as in Hebrew or Arabic. We did originate from the Levant like the Angels, remember.

 **Issei:** Levant?

 **Ravel:** (sighing) The western side of the Middle East, where Syria, Jordan, Israel, Palestine and Lebanon are located. The Eastern Half is called Mesopotamia, with Iraq and Kuwait being the only countries in the region. The Babylonian and Sumerian mythos' originated there, whereas the Phoenician, Canaanite, Hittite, and eventually Abrahamic, that is to say the Jewish Religion originated from.

 **Issei:** Doesn't Christianity count, since it also originated in the Levant.

 **Ravel:** Not necessarily; Christianity didn't exist until it was brought to Europe, and likewise originated as a religion rather than a cult when brought into Rome and Constantinople in the late Roman period. Islam also follows this rule, having been first worshiped in Arabia in the Early Medieval period, but retains a lot of connections to its Jewish origin like Christianity does.

 **Issei:** But, then why have we only seen Christian characters representing the Angel's faction. Wouldn't it make more sense to include a greater variety of characters from the larger range of religious backgrounds rather than isolate them into a single section?

 **Alek:** I'll answer that one.

 **Issei:** So you only involve yourself if it suits you.

 **Alek:**. . . Shuddup. According to the 2012 religious census, by estimation alone there were around 2.2 billion Christians, which made it the widest accepted religion in the world at the time. Islam came in second at around 1.6 billion, while Judaism came in at a more minuscule 14 million.

 **Ravel:** Since Ishibumi was writing in 2008, this is the best accurate answer available. While it is not confirmed, it is widely believed that the number of Muslims is increasing while the number of Christians is declining.

 **Issei:** Huh? Why is that? Angels exist, God existed. How can they suddenly be on the decline.

 **Ravel:** It is actually thanks to the increase in Atheism that is the cause of Christian decline. Because Christianity is the religion of the maj-

 **Alek:** (panicky) Whoah! Do not go there!

 **Ravel & Issei:** (in synch) Why?

 **Alek:** (calming down) We're overstepping out bounds here. I feel like we are starting to tread on unstable territory by involving ourselves in real world problems.

 **Issei:** (sudden shock) Yikes!

 **Alek:** (calming down) You're safe now. All that hatred will be on me. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore.

 **Issei:** (caught off guard) . . . To hear that I, the Sekiryuutei of this generation being told he's going to be protected. I feel like I'm being stripped of my masculinity here. You're the worst. Worse than Kiba-fukukaichou. (shivers) I still don't get that Bishounen or his sexuality. I hope Tosca-chan or Shinra-senpai can finally sort this crisis for me.

 **Ravel:** Anyways, we've gone way off topic here so I'll resume it. (clears her throat) Dedftodiz has the same vocabulary range as Japanese does, so the main vowels a, e, i, o, and u only have one sound. We also do not use diphthongs, so letter combinations do not exist, even with vowels and are all spoken separately. Although, if a consonant is connected to a preceding vowel, but not to a succeeding one, then we pronounce that as you would in English.

 **Issei:** Then, wouldn't your name be written as "Reivel" or "Reyvel", or something like that? It's confusing enough to say that it works this way, but then even Phenex is confusing, since it should be "Fenix". I don't see how that is possible with all these rules in place to keep it readable.

 **Ravel:** (calmly ticked off) Your name in romanji has two 'S's in it, do you really want to go their?

 **Issei:** (apologetic) S-sorry.

 **Ravel:** Well, unlike your name which uses two consonants to signify gemination, my name is borrowed from the English word "Raven", so it can't be helped that it is slept different to how it sounds. Plus my surname is traditional and borrowed from the Greek translation so we retained the spelling out of respect.

 **Issei:** Oh, ok then. (overconfident) I think I'm getting that hang of this language business. I could probably tackle this later today!

 **Alek:** Next week, we'll tackle the harder stuff to grasp. Semi-vowels, Constructed words and Loaned words.

 **Issei:** (confidence shaken) Huh? Wait! Wha-

 **Alek:** Bye-bye!

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'Guest' (1), 'redclaw39', 'giacomoX', 'Muzaka', 'Dragon Rider 66', 'RedSS', 'KaimenRiderAshita', 'JackGehrman', 'Guest' (2), 'The Fool', 'Blue Eyes Pendulum Dragon', 'Epyon Legium', 'Ashzaroth', 'NarutoSpardaUzumaki', and 'dill** **mccathron' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **I am just going to say not to expect long chapters like this all the time. I am not one to disappoint people ( _liar liar_ ), so I will just disappoint you now for future reference. Oh, and also to Ashzaroth, the rest of you questions will be fulfilled in due time (I have already taken into account certain precautions going into the story and how everything will play out, so be patient for at least a few months or so).**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**


	3. The Phenex Nest

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release.**

 **By the way, did you know that in the beta version of DxD Volume 1, Rias, Akeno and Koneko didn't even exist, not even as a concept? And that Issei wasn't originally a pervert? Weird right. Especially since Kiba was meant to be the protagonist, and Issei was a supporting character. Thank you Fujimi Shobo for showing Ishibumi the way.**

 **I'll stop talking now.**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

* * *

That very same night that I, Hyoudou Issei, had met Ravel Phenex, was also the night I was first introduced to the Phenex Clan.

""Ys lyjylziz yzs!""

( _""I am home!""_ )

Just like in Japan it was customary to announce your arrival back at your home. The alternative, for when you are entering someone else's home is to say "efslizeafyt tyit" ( _"pardon my intrusion"_ ).

There was a lot about devil society that I was unaware of, but in order to not to slow down my introduction into the Phenex Household, I will withhold all that I need to explain about how the Underworld was run and how the functions of devil civilisation was being managed, and every around and in-between of any importance.

Needless to say, the Phenex Household was larger than any home I had ever seen in Japan. Bigger than a school, bigger than a castle, it was even larger than the ruined buildings where I practiced summoning my Sacred Gear, and all the surrounding lands combined would probably still fit inside this mansion with rooms to spare.

As the magic circle that transported us here disappeared into the nothingness, and after both Lady Zemele and Ravel had said their usual greetings, the halls echoed with the same call of several, possibly hundreds, of servants lined up against either side of the red carpet the trailed along the very centre of the hallways.

""""""Lypeheys yseot, Katefozy"""""

( _"Welcome back, my Ladies."_ ).

As the crowd of black and white uniformed bowed as they made their greetings to their serving family, all I could do was stand there like an insignificant ant surrounded in the unfamiliar realm of giants.

Up ahead, there were several prominent figures dressed in fine clothes; two were standing side by side to each other and were clearly husband and wife. The next two were easily pointed out as brothers, but from a distance it looked as if they were all part of the same generation as their ages seemed to correlate roughly the same based on their youthfulness alone.

Behind them were a collection of people dressed in a large collection of varying dress styles, some carrying objects and weapons like swords and the occasional staffs. They appeared to be a gathering of people for all across the globe from as near as China or Thailand, to further India and Russia, and even to farthest reaches of Mexico, Sweden and possibly even the Congo. Some even didn't look human, with some being mostly humanoid, others bearing animal parts or even half human species, and there was even one creature dressed human but bared nothing human at all in physical appearance.

As soon as the last of the main servants passed by us as I walked behind Ravel and Zemele, it was Lady Ravel who ran straight into the arms of the woman standing in front of us. Her arms stretched outwards, the two figures collided with one another and embraced themselves in a deep mother and daughter hug.

"Mama!"

"Ravel polezzety."

(" _Ravel dearest."_ )

It was a truly touching sight to see Ravel being so close to her mother. Despite being part of a very high ranking family in their society, it felt like melting chocolate my heart to see them being so casually warm with each. If I had been any older then, I think I may have shed a tear of happiness in being witness to such a touching reunion.

It's for memories such as these that I am glad to be a servant of the Phenex Household.

Although, while I had been watching at the time, I couldn't help but feel a sting next to my own heart as I watched them.

When the two had finished talking to each other, mostly in muffled and un-understandable sentences that I think could baffle the me of today who has a much wider grasp of the language than I did then, that was when Ravel turned around to stand by her mother's side, still holding on to her left hand as she swiveled from her position. As this happened, Zemele walked forward and took a bow before the man who was definitely Ravel's father.

"Wep yzs yfet sexe efkepoje. Klopa pit ef ifit suhiz Offezople ef xlopwea zia."

( _"This is the one I informed you about. The one with the Dragon-type Sacred Gear in his arm."_ )

As I didn't know what was being said at the time, I got a chill at my spine when Lord Phenex peered his head over from Zemele to look at the ten year old boy standing absolutely puzzled in his home. After Lord Phenex had thanked Zemele for her role in bringing Ravel home, he allowed her to walk over to the second brother on the furthest to his right. As the two embraced each other for a small kiss, I realised while I was staring at the two that this must be her husband, Rayzem. The two were truly a matched couple, with Lord Rayzem being the right height and build as he was that they looked like true equals, as two people deeply in love should appear from first glance.

However, as I had been paying a little too much attention to the literal love birds, I had forgotten about the Lord and Lady of the household, which turned out to be a very embarrassing scene after I came to that realisation only half a minute later. With both of Ravel's parents staring down at me with amused smiles, I was taken a back and went redder than a cherry when I had the epiphany of my own rudeness for forgetting they were there.

So imagine my surprise as I tried to compose myself, while being witnessed to seeing a noble family of devils politely bowing in front of me.

"My wife and I would like to extend our thanks to you, for looking after our daughter Ravel. We are in you debt."

As Lord Phenex's words reached my ears, I lost all trace of my thoughts; a Marquis, not to mention a devil was thanking me, in perfect Japanese as well.

"Um, n-no. I mean, it's- there's no need for thanks. Um, I-I, I'm Issei, and-and it was not a problem."

"Greetings, Issei Hyoudou. I am Rivalen Phenex, Ravel's father."

"I'm his wife and Ravel's mother, Rozalva Phenex. It's a pleasure to meet you, Hyoudou-chan."

Lord Rivalen, the current Marquis of Phenex, a title of which his family has held for six generations, and is responsible for the welfare and management of twenty legions of devils within his territory. A man who looked to be in his thirties, but he retained that youthful vigour about his persona. He had light coloured hair, but unlike the golden yellow hair of the rest of his family, his was more of a gradient of shades between orange and yellow, almost like a purest of gold flames which he kept in a spiky fashion at the back of his head and neatly combed over each side, like a birds tail and wings whilst in roosting. He was dressed in a deep crimson smoking jacket, which he wore over a formal dining suit, albeit with it lacking a bow tie and a dinner jacket.

Lady Rozalva his wife, as well as the mother of his four children. She too was a pure-blooded devil, having originally belonged to the Andrealphus clan, who were also ranked as Marquis but had command over thirty legions, but were now technically on the verge of extinction since the current Marquis of Andrealphus only had one child who was of mixed heritage. To put her appearance into perceptive, she was a complete mirror image of her daughter Ravel, albeit in her early twenties and wore her hair up high and decorated as seen worn by noble woman in the West during the Georgian period. Her golden yellow hair and topaz blue eyes were the same as inherited by all four of her children.

After finishing with both their introductions, I gave a polite bow to the Lord and Lady of the House.

"Th-thank you, for having me."

Despite the slight hiccup with the order in which Lord Phenex had said my name, which Lady Phenex had corrected on his behest, their Japanese was flawless and so well structured and spoken that I could have mistaken the two of them with having been born and bred in my home country.

The next person over stepped forward after both of his parents had accepted my thanks, offering a hand to me like he was greeting a business colleague or a person

"I'm Ruval Phenex, the eldest son."

"Hello. I'm Hyoudou Issei. Thank you for having me."

Ruval Phenex is the eldest son and child of the current Phenex Household, but he looked deceptively older than his mother was, using his magic to appear as a man in his late twenties. Unlike most of his family at the time, he was an avid player in the Rating Game, and was already in the Top Ten Ranking position even when I had first arrived. I am not certain what rank he was in when I first arrived since I never asked him, but from when I had last asked heard from him (which would have been around Christmas 2007), he was holding onto 8th position, in front of Tannin-ojiisan and Shinami Ryuuya-sama (also Japanese, and a reincarnated devil). Like Ravel and the rest of his siblings, he had the same golden blonde hair and dark blue eyes that almost looked like they were cloning each other. His hair was worn to his neckline, and was very straight, except for about three or four thick strands above his forehead that refused to be flattened, that almost looked like he was wearing a crown of some sorts. Unlike the rest of the family, he liked to wear tradition robes and other clothes expected of devils rather than the western styles or medieval inspired dresses many other nobles had taken to attiring themselves in. The only other people I had ever seen wear them on a regular basis were the Maou Sirzech Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub, and I think I had seen most if not all of the former heads continuing to dress in the same manner.

"Not a problem, Issei-san

Lord Ruval was a seasoned competitor, as well as the heir to the Phenex clan, which understandably gave him a firm hand grip, but the fact we were shaking left hand to left hand, it was giving me unusual nerved. For a while there was quite a bit of throbbing like there was a second heart in my hand, but I could also sense the kind of heat leaking off both of my hand and from Ruval. For what I would later learn, it was no shock that I was sensing so much power from a devil with enough potential to easily rank in the Ultimate-class.

Before either of us could react to these unusual feelings edging in both of our senses, his younger brother, with his wife under his arm stepped forward, drawing my attention away from the eldest son and heir.

"I'm the second son. You can call me Rayzem. Zemele is of course my wife, and she is also my Bishop."

"Bishoppu?"

This was the first time I had ever heard the English word for any of the chess pieces. It was actually also the first time I had actually heard of chess being mentioned to me. His instantaneous change from near perfect Japanese to absolutely fluent English was a complete shock to my psyche. What actually impressed me more, in which I didn't really notice at the time, was with his complete mastery with British Received Pronunciation (since he first learnt English when the British Empire was still a prominent authority, and far exceeded the United States).

"Oh, my apologies. As a human, you are not at all aware of the peerage system we have here in the Underworld."

Rayzem Phenex is the second son, and also a husband unlike the rest of his siblings who were not engaged in any relationships at the time I first arrived inside their home. Rayzem wasn't much of a competitor as his brother, and probably gave up pretty early on in trying his hand in the Rating Games, only owning a few peerage members himself compared to the full set in his brother's. He was actually a television producer at the time I first met him, newly promoted and was looking for more work towards real programming rather than advertisement. Again with his features, he was golden haired and blue eyed, though he was noticeably also older looking that Lady Phenex, but only by a few years, but the age difference was very discernible that even I could recognise it at the time. His hair was worn long enough to be tied into a small ponytail, but had several long bangs that ran over his face like talons gripping his forehead, and he had some visible facial hair where he had forgotten to shave after pulling long nights and days at his workplace. Even devils can get tired without beauty sleep. He wore a shirt and smart trousers, but was lacking a jacket and tie like a normal suit would have been. His sleeves were also rolled up giving him a more relaxed posture, but was also considerably stylish as well.

Maybe it was his way of talking, but he seemed to have learnt Japanese from television for older viewers that incorporated a lot of foreign words into their dialogues since rather than saying 'souryo', he used 'bishop'. I'm not going to argue whether it is more common to refer to chess pieces by their established English names or not, but for the younger me of the time, the only English words I ever used on a regular basis were 'supa', 'raida', 'reinja', 'monsta' and 'sankyu'. All of these unusual words that were being conveyed over to me were not doing my ten year old self any favours that explanations could restore in a few hours. Never mind the word "bishop" which was understandably an English word, I had never even heard of the word "peerage" before in my life.

"Pia-riju?"

I don't even think I was able to pronounce it in kana correctly or not; I probably substituted the 'ju' for a 'chu', and I probably emphasised the 'a' too much that it sounded like a 'ya'. Rayzem managed to move the conversation along quick enough that there was no wasted time spent to dawdle on the subject.

"Well, we can get back to that later I suppose since you'll be staying here with us. Now where is Riser then? Oh well, you'll meet him soon enough regardless."

"Um, yeah. O-ok."

Riser Phenex, of course, is the third son of the Phenex Clan. Around the time that I first joined, he also fairly new to the Rating Game and had yet to be assigned to his first match yet, but was still considerably older in terms of age difference to Ravel and Rayzem. To put this in better perspective; While Rias Gremory would have been about eleven at this time, her older brother Sirzech was just about to pass two hundred as far as I could recall. The difference between Ravel and Riser would be a rough estimate of fifty years, whereas Rayzem is one hundred and thirty between himself and Ravel, and Ruval exceeding maybe three hundred, maybe slightly less than that. I have never really asked them since while age is not a big issue for beings who can live up to 100,000 years in one lifetime, it is still a sensitive subject once they exceed their first hundred or so due to the regular interactions most have with other species with less longevity than theirs.

I never dared ask what the ages of neither Lord, nor especially Lady Phenex.

After are brief introduction, Lord Rayzem had turned to his wife and said:

"Zemele, violy faf ezse pit pafzykezzys efzhepeoz woykaz fajezzeto fazsloy wazheseit yzs?"

( _"Zemele, why don't you go check on the kids while we settle in our newest guest then?"_ )

"Ze jez ty ok sy, ys xyfy sexe yles axsythyloly, Rayzem Katefiz."

( _"If you wish me to, then I shall happily comply, Master Rayzem."_ )

"Si pafeifg, yra jel jyzsyl. Vioyza zefes yzzy kiaz hdilyzjy pafpillifs. Woxytiz kiaz zetid yzzy viot kelerosil. Si yz tydeal ketekeit."

( _"You are my wife, and I am your husband. Please, let's be a couple more often. We have two children together, you are more than just a subordinate. You are my better half."_ )

Oh yes; on top of the two being married, Lord Rayzem and Lady Zemele are also the ever so proud parents to fraternal twins, one boy Ramarh, and one girl Riana, both aged at about two years old at the time. Children were of great importance to devils, especially after many of their numbers had been cut to less than a half of they were before the Great War between the Three Factions. The Phenex Clan were among the rarest of coincidences where they had managed to not only produce four children under the current Marquis, but one of these sons was lucky enough to be the father of twins, which was an even rarer event for the Underworld.

The Phenexes are also well known for throwing overly extravagant parties, a fact that has become more of a tradition now rather than something that is done on a whims briefest of notices, that I can almost imagine how large and expensive of a celebration after the birth of twin devils, which may never happen in 100,000 years.

"Riser. Has anyone seen him today?"

The room seemed to grow too conveniently silent when Riser's name had been brought up, as if the room itself had stopped all sound. It felt like I had walked outside of the world and was now empowered to bear witness to time itself halting in every corner of the room. Not even the servants dared to gossip in these times.

I wouldn't know at the time, but it wasn't the first time Riser had done something irresponsible; as a young devil himself, he was eager to gather allies and liked to make a big show of it. Apparently, he was only interested in collecting a large variety of girls, but had no concern or consideration whether they would be the most effective in a Rating Game. Despite his good intentions, his pride got him in the trickiest of situations that are sometimes of embarrassment to the family.

Hanging from Lady Phenex's left side, the answer came in the form of the nine year old Ravel, who was the only one to break this fragile ice we were all suddenly walking across, before the waters below could burst and ensnare us.

"Hee was gowin too Japan. That why I waz folohwin him. But den, he tuk off, and I kot lost."

The room started getting less and less crowded after Lady Ravel's answer. One by one the servants of the house slowly walked with their gazes firmly turned towards the doors. Even Rayzem, Zemele, the many peerage members, and the most surprisingly, Lord Phenex, all made their ways out of the room on foot. Eventually the room was only occupied by myself, Ravel and her mother, and the humid form of Ruval, smiling, but his eyes were saying he was going to melt something into a puddle of butter on the floor.

"Ys fypyzzy yzs is pit hoipez blosyl oppykes wip."

( _"I'll need to have a few words with my brother when he gets back here."_ )

From how massively fiery is aura was as it started rising, I could tell just how many words he was going to be using. Very short, but very powerful. I am not even joking about that, there was literally smoke leaking from his clothes like he was going to spontaneously combust at any moment.

There was a reason he was being considered for a promotion to Ultimate-class.

At the worst possible time, there was a familiar orange circle inscribing itself into marbled floor. Light refracting in all directions as a blazing tornado, and a figure of a young man in his late teens emerged in the inferno followed by a voluptuous woman, two twin girls with cat ears and a young teenage girl carrying a spear.

"Ys lyjylziz yzs!"

( _"I am home!"_ )

""Sexe rloseoz ora hla faxez!""

(" _"Thank you for having us!""_ )

With the man jumping through the flames obviously being Riser Phenex, since he too was golden blonde and blue eyed, with his hair actually worn more rebellious than it would later appear when he changed his age to his early twenties. It wasn't very fashionable especially for devils, since it resembled something out of Dragon Ball, but it looked surprisingly well on his persona at his apparent age.

Beside him, the voluptuous woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties was his Queen, Yubelluna. With her long flowing purple hair and violet eyes, she was a true belladonna in terms of her beauty (and doubly said in ability hence the choice in names). As well as being the strongest piece in his permanent peerage to this day even, she was also his main escort to everywhere he went. Even if Riser would enter a room by himself for formalities sake, you could be assured that she was close nearby, or a simple teleport circle away at most. She was famous for her pyrokinetic displays as a former magician herself until Riser seduced her and convinced her to join his peerage. I don't know what exactly won her over, but whatever it was Riser had a real skill in it. Her skills with explosions were never a joke, hence why she is better known as the [Bomb Queen].

The two cat girls were the twins Ni and Li, who looked to be in their pre-teens when they first arrived. I'm unsure what their real names were before joining the Phenex Household, but I know for a fact that their names were given to them in order to make it easier to say both their names simultaneously during a Rating Game. I am to this day unsure how many peerage members had to change their names, but I have kept my lips sealed on the business of privacy, and as a peerage member like myself knows; it is the privilege of the King to call upon his or her peerage members by whatever name he or she decides upon. As nekomata, they had their signature cat ears and tails exposed. Ni was always standing to the right, while Li was to the left, which was one way to tell them apart (by that I mean left from their perspective, not from the viewers). Another way was by their hair colour as Ni had red hair and eyes (an always to the right, hence the distinction) and Li is blue. How Riser was able to convince both these two to become his pawns is a mystery to me.

You'll understand later, I solemnly vow to you.

And the last person was also the youngest member of his team at the time, Mira. I'm not too sure what nationality she was, but her appearance didn't suit her dress style. With her blue hair tied into pig-tails and wearing red over white, her Japanese style clothing was not suitable for her European appearance. She was twelve when I first met her that same day. I'm afraid to say that I cannot say too much about her, except that by power ranking, she has always been the weakest member of Riser's peerage not through lack of trying, but that every other member was born with some inept ability, and all were able to channel the fire magic dormant inside each of their Evil Pieces except for Mira.

"Ys zixyllo, ys ef viexiz yzs, Riser?"

( _"Where under earth have you been, Riser?"_ )

At the fury of Ruval's blazing aura, all three of the little girls started nervously stepping backwards instinctively. Of course Lord Ruval wasn't targeting them, but it was very easily mistakable when they so happened to be in the same direction as Lord Riser was. Riser, on the other hand showed no reaction to Ruval's fiery temper, perhaps having decided to call it a bluff. I am not sure what to say, but I want to assure you that this all really happened.

"Is o Japan zizsidylifs baltazo kialit rytefalit nekomata ys dexyfsyl tyo Hykesyz hlealkefyz tyit.

( _"I just picked up a lovely pair of nekomata twins from Japan, and they willingly agreed to join my peerage as my Pawns."_ )

As Riser made his attempts to play off his actions nonchalant and all, without any real idea as to why he was being scolded in the first place, all he managed to do was stoke the anger building inside the fire of his elder brother.

"Zpea zethdepesyl okkyfka zexe pattezzaz ok Hlealkefyz vias hasyz, zyk rlojesyl, viot zes viodesoz pelpo viofsesosyt."

( _"I know you are absolutely committed to adding as many girls to your peerage as you can, but seriously, it should be about quality rather than quantity."_ )

"Pattessesil Dikiz Doslifpide salfyotyfsit ef sisydo paresa ty pesa. Atfy ahiz tofiz hazzet holsyttode."

( _"I intend to start my own career in the Rating Game tournament very soon. I need every piece I can get my hands on."_ )

"Fitviek axdesiz yz, vie ylos pit sexe, kit dikez Ravel 'padderyly' pit Youkai Hykesyz?"

( _"Did you forget that Ravel was travelling with you while you were playing 'pick up' with your Youkai Pawns?"_ )

"Of eddo hleal hiyddo. Yo tepwe faf yrys sythiz."

( _"She's a big girl. She doesn't need me to watch her all the time."_ )

"Balsozzy faf yzzys xafit ys pafsythdofsyz yot. Zodsyt is axzyljysez otys efjyfes odeviyt hla yo igal. Pallery syviy, woxytiz fajit wazhesyt."

( _"Maybe it was a good thing you weren't watching her. At least she found someone more responsible to watch out for her instead. Straighten yourself out, we have a new guest."_ )

I had no idea what was being said at the time, like I am always reminding you as well as myself as I am retelling these events, so when I was suddenly being stared down upon by the youngest son of the Phenex Clan, I was quite shaken up. Unlike his family who had been courteous during our first meeting, Riser had the look of a hungry giant bird of prey about him that made me feel like a worm he was about to step on rather than eat. Not that I am saying I would have enjoyed the idea of him looking happily at me with those same eyes.

After giving me the oddest stare you could imagine, he spoke again to his brother.

"Viez? Fythy wap petyg?"

( _"Who? You mean this little runt?"_ )

"Yes, this is Hyoudou Issei. Please speak Japanese. He's unfamiliar with our native tongue. Since you managed to grab a few servants yourself from that same country, you could show some courtesy and show him how well versed you are."

Ruval, having cleared his throat, returned to speaking in Japanese, which suddenly meant I was understanding everything that was to happen next conversation wise. While I should say it was a comforting relief at the time, I now see just how unfortunate I was to be cursed when I heard my mother tongue being spoken by a foreigner with no grip of the tongue.

I am not joking, and I make a formal apology to all of you who have the unfortunate task of reading through the next speaking role as it appears. But remember that I was listening to it, so there is no equality in suffering.

Excuse me, I will continue.

As you could expect, Riser was determined to make a startling impression on me about his character from the first words that left his vocal cords. With his antics for performance and drama, I would have liked to hope that he would convey such passion into his verbal movements as much as his physical movements, but I was dispossessed of such comforts when he began to speak "Japanese" to me.

"Harro dhare. I arm dha gorate Riser Phenex. Soon do bea dha nyuw Reyten Giayms Chiamipyun weevin dha nixd jenarishun uv yung deffels."

His Japanese was even worse than Ravel's but at least she understood the basis and wording of everything. From what I was hearing, it was completely vulgar and a serious bastardization of my entire mother language's cultural evolution. Unlike the efforts of the rest of the family, it appeared from my perspective that he had skimmed the book on learning Japanese and then shredded it and only spoke words how he wanted them to sound. The result was an unruly mesh of terrible grammar and a very long list of words that while still decipherable, where all just wrong.

This was the kind of nightmarish creation you could expect to make ears bleed.

While trying not to both grit my teeth, and impolitely laugh at his attempts at Japanese, I couldn't hide my crooked expression as each syllable grinded into my brain. Ravel had no trouble telling her brother how she felt about his Japanese in between bouts of innocent laughter.

"Zsidseseo Riser. Ys zep kipifs pofyly."

( _"Silly Riser. You sound so stupid."_ )

"Xyfy, pylsy jylxez okwip ifejylzodeiz viot si, holit zalal."

( _"Well, at least my vocabulary is still more extensive than yours, little sister."_ )

Despite the harsh words, it was obvious that they were a close family. Just from the bare minimum of tone of their voices from Lord Ruval and Lord Riser's interaction alone it was clear that they were very caring people, and the last few words exchanged between

As all their open smiles drowned the atmosphere, I could only feel that sting again on my chest.

* * *

It all went south that night though, when I opened the wrong door late into the night.

Night-time wasn't actually a part of the cycle in the Underworld as it turned out. Considering there is no sun or moon visible below the earth, it makes absolutely perfect sense thinking aloud. It was only implemented when the Evil Piece system was started and many of the reincarnated devils were getting delirious due to the lack of biological upbringing needed to know when sleep was necessary since the entire day was constantly in one colour rather than a gradual transition of shades over the course of many consecutive hours.

Thank the Maou I never had such a problem whilst I was growing up.

Having ate dinner with the entire family, since I was still considered a guest at the time, the first course in itself was a feast, which was a surprise. The nervous child I was hesitated in making any sort of moves, while I felt like the Phenexes were observing my every action I was making, and I was still clueless as to what they were discussing among themselves due to the language barrier that separated us.

Being surrounded in that kind of environment, I felt like I was sinking back into that orphanage, where at dinner I would almost vanish, or at least that was what I was feeling like doing; Ravel would still talk to me, but since her own Japanese was still something that needed improving on, they were very limited and I couldn't exactly talk to her like she was another. And while I much appreciated the efforts that the other members of family were tasked with for my own self's sake, being in an unfamiliar place and being inquisited gave my psyche a terrible relapse of the first few days out of hospital when adults whom I have recollection of anymore, but were constantly hounding me for answers to draw up their patchworks of the events that had unfolded in my home the night they, my parents, had died, and then the almost fake sympathies the people who would later evict me into the orphanage shared with me.

There is the high probability thinking back now that the social workers were really concerned, but the hours upon hours of similar stories and related cases had most likely taken a toll on their sympathetic tones since it was under the constant stress of reproducing the same sounds over a repeating cycle. I have no such qualms with their personal grievances, but it wasn't what I needed at all for the place and state I was wandering between.

After dinner was concluded, I was taken to a spare bedroom by one of the knights of the Phenex Household. I was too young to exactly remember which one since they all dressed very similarly and wore armour and swords at their sides at all times. Based on what I can remember, I know that it was a male knight, so I narrowed the answer to either Vissarion (Ruval's Knight) or Eugene (Lord Rivalen's), but I think it was more likely the later since he too was familiar with Japanese and was in touch with, though outdated view of, the culture having been anointed a samurai himself by the Shogun of his day.

We'll get back to that at another time.

Having been taken to my room, which was probably the equal to the ground floor to my old home in accordance to size, I was left to my own devices in this single room, which dwarfed. The bed was as big as my room which was quite the shock when I spent a good minute trailing it in order to get into the right place I needed to sleep. Everything was so inhumanly new to the touch, to the smell, the sight, everything. It was almost impossible to get comfortable with my imagination having been exposed to such an unfamiliar experience so quickly and without reservations.

Continuing to think about it, about them, it still stung. I didn't know why it would.

Just as all this nervousness was wallowing up inside of myself, I finally realised a flaw with my laying here pondering whilst awake.

I needed to use the toilet.

Having been on my nervous state of mind since I had arrived, I had neglected to realise my own desperation until I started to slowly relax and then notice how my muscle contraction had been holding it all in until this time.

I must apologise for this next part as my consciousness was both half asleep, half frantic in desperation, and it was also passing in and out of awareness despite the severity of the situation. I'm afraid that what happened next was beyond my control, but I will recount what I am able to remember of that night as best I can, but for the most part, it is not a recollection I hold in any positive regard.

It started with the wrong door in the corridor, and then stepping through said portal, I was falling. For how long, I can only remember being a short fall, but now looking back on that place, it must have been a good two storeys fall.

I recall landing in a pile of dry grass, most likely a loose connection of dead branches, bracken and straw made from hay that was an uncomfortable, yet lifesaving, cushion for my fall. The painful fall unleashed a scream as I felt my side being pricked by several very sharp sticks that I could have sworn at the time were breaking my fragile skin.

The sound of my pain awoke the true residence of this room.

It was too dark to see at the time, but a single thread of light where I had carelessly left the door to the room wide open allowed the torch flames from the corridor to illuminate a partial section of the room, and revealed a most terrifying sight for the eleven year old me who had only just been introduced to the supernatural aspects of the world.

In this room was a very large feathered creature the size of a dinosaur, patterned in a collection of oranges with streaks of blue and white, which were only as intimidating as the sharp ruby eyes that glowed as they shot wide open and locked sights with me in this umbra. It gave me terrifying reminders of one of those creatures on a prehistoric show where there was a giant species of bird that would hunt down horses before humanity ever evolved. With those unemotional eyes that were wide open and staring at me sideways on, how could I be anything but afraid at the time. I was sure I would be consumed on the spot.

In a panic I lost my voice and forgot how to scream or speak and was left to run myself into the darkness in the bare hopes that I would be able to avoid its deathly gaze. But it didn't. My only advantage was its lack of speed, as its sudden roosting had not allowed it to fully awaken and it contractions and reflexes were stiff having just broken from slumber. While it could still see me, and I wasn't too sure how far I had run into the black until I hit the wall palms first against the cobbled stones. As my fear rose as two beams of bloody red flared over my form, and the great behemoth began to become orthostatic, revealing two very scaly yellow bird talons that would disembowel me from the first swipe.

As greatly an embarrassment it is for me to now profess this aloud, I can affirm to you readers that I was no longer in such desperate need to use the facilities any longer. I had long since passed that point with no return. Childish incidents were the least of my terrors at this fixed point in my history.

I wish I could say I was at least trying to appear fearless at the sight of my possible imminent death, but that was never to be the scenario as I would have desired it to be. I was not even able to stand as my legs gave into the uneasy shaking that was gnawing into the last strengths supporting my upright posture, and descended unto my palms.

 _[Bo Vahzah]_

I heard something call out to me. It was echoing and it was hard to hear not that I knew what the voice was saying to be either, but my instincts understood. Even in the shocked and terrified state I was in, my body moved in accordance. Leaping over to my right and falling unto my right shoulder.

There was a loud crash, which I presumed had been the beast with its beak breaking

[Bel Zu'u]

This time, I could hear it as if it where my own thoughts. I felt a pulsing in my left arm, like it had its own heartbeat. Thumping and pumping, like blood was being drained into it and then circulated back into my body.

I cannot recall how long it took for me to pull the last straw I had so late into the, but at my most desperate moment, I pulled the only thought that came to mind, and that was to summon 'Buushuta'.

I turned around and then like one of those 'reinjas' or 'raidas' I liked to mimic, I outstretched my arm out and yelled to the top of my lungs, feeling the power in my words rush into my arm like an electrical current surging through my arteries.

"Go, Buushuta!"

And then, the room was swallowed in emerald coloured radiance, temporarily blinding the beast as my Sacred Gear assimilated itself unto my arm.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

Instead of the usual plate that covered the back of my arm, the metal was morphing before my very eyes; the front reached over my hand and encased all my fingers and my thumb in a thick crimson glow before my hand was shielded by a full gauntlet with sharp claws at the ends of my fingertips. The claw extended further up my arm until it was barely at my elbow, and now it had golden spikes extending from the very back.

But, that wasn't the only thing that emerged from my arm that day.

It was the first time in my lifetime that my Sacred Gear was talking, and it started with a triumphant and demonic laughter that put all other sounds in the room to silence.

 **["Ahahahahahaha! Ahst Lingrah Laat! Zu'u Alok Nol Dii Hahnu!"]**

(" _At long last, I have awakened again!")_

Although, in actuality, the proper translation would be more like 'At long last, I (have) risen from my dreams!", due to the limited vocabulary of dragons considered necessary in order to communicate, as well as the exclusion of the word 'again' since dragons a proud creatures and do not admit to repetition because it inspires the notion of having failed to accomplished something previously, which wounds their very high perception of dignity.

Though in actuality, using 'again' in this instance would be considered appropriate since Ddraig had almost certainly woken up . . . again.

The beast snapped from its stunned state and bellowed its own bird-like shriek in retaliation. Ddraig had later told me that this was an issue of challenge to the dragon. As prideful as Ddraig was, he was only glad to accept it.

 **["Hi Zok Sivaas! Hi Fent Haalvut Fin Bah Se [Sahqo Dovah Thur]!"]**

( _"You great beast, you shall feel the wrath of the [Red Dragon Emperor]!"_ )

Without any of my own words to back it up, Ddraig overrode my Sacred Gear and forcefully activated its true ability on my behalf.

 **["{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!}"]**

The sudden shock of so much power, I almost got the feeling akin to seasickness as the surge rushed over my body like the feeling of exhaustion being switched in reverse. I nearly fell forward from the great gain I was so unused to wielding, but it in itself stopped me from collapsing.

 **["Raise your left hand. For now, we live or die here."]**

Speaking aloud directly to me, and in Japanese as well, he gave me the only order necessary to save my life. As the last few minutes blurred together, a series of tremors piled in my direction, shaking violently across the floor as the kaiju ( _strange beast_ ) came like thunder towards me. Hatred in its eyes and a ravenous cry that shattered glass.

The great increase in power was enough to bring up to my feet once more, and the words that continued to pour into my mind from Ddraig had a sirenic effect on my psyche, encouraging me to follow along to his tune.

Gripping hard in my left hand, I prepared a fist encased in red coloured plate, and stared back into the eyes of the abyss.

 **["Punch!"]**

And so I did. Swinging my armoured arm at the giant, I struck the best clean between the eyes just above it's beak, causing it to recoil in pain as it's lower body smacked into the front like he had been hit against a brick wall. A very sturdy and magically reinforced brick wall I should point out. Maybe it was the surprise, maybe it was the level of boosts I had been given, but the force of the punch was enough to keep it immobile for a good long while, as I slowly stepped backwards. there was a rupturing pain in my left arm as it started feeling hot for a second, and then bone chilling as it dropped so suddenly.

I must apologise again that I am unable to properly direct a full descriptive battle when there is so much more that could have happened that night, however, I was not in the right place to lament on what had occurred to its fullest due to an unforeseen event happening after having delivered the strongest attack I could muster at that time.

 **["{Reset!}"]**

The sudden decrease in power was enough to knock my consciousness asleep momentarily as my body went limp the moment those words filled the room. After a rapid collection of five boosts in a row, it was an inevitable outcome for the person I was then, whom was inexperienced with wielding its true abilities even to the smallest of extents.

My mind was black for an unspecified amount of time, until a minute or so later . . .

 **["{Boost!}"]**

My consciousness shot awake as the power rushed through me. I felt like I had been hit over the head with a blunt object repeatedly. But unfortunately for me, it wasn't for the sake of simply waking me up that I had been boosted. The automatic system implanted into my Sacred Gear would automatically boost my strength every minute or so, as long as I wasn't attacked or use up my current stockpile.

The giant raptor was back unto its feet, albeit its head was bleeding from where it had both smashed the floor and received heavy hitting knuckle sandwich into its face. The sheer amount of terror it was exerting quickly washed over my senses as I was prepared to perform one of three primitive motions; freeze, flee, or fight.

I was most fortunate that night that it never had to come down to that however.

"Chol, hopebepofkit sy."

( _"Chol, calm yourself."_ )

The whole room sprung into the light, as the shadows suddenly went into hibernation and all became visible.

Before I knew it, the room became flooded with other people, all either in bed wear or still in serving uniforms and the likes of which greatly vast in numbers.

After Lord Phenex made his declaration, the bird monster stopped his rampage and started settling down. Retreating back to its nest, it laid down and allowed its master to stroke it. That hateful look turned to kindness. The ferocity into docility, and the territorial behaviour regressed into that akin to a pet, allowing its master to coddle it as if it were some breed of dog or cat.

And then, the horrible realisation hit me. I had punched the family pet in the face, and caused bleeding on it as a result. This was far worse a predicament that breaking a treasured fishing rod. It was the equivalent of injuring a member of the family.

I may have just been eleven years old, but I had committed an act of unforgivable sin, and not the kind that would be warranted by a devil either.

I stopped myself from making excuses when I made my apology. I no longer thought of myself as a little kid anymore, and I had to own up to my own mistakes, even if the people around me would hate me for it. I shouldn't have done it, and the guilt that was in my chest was stinging more than it had earlier.

It was the same when I was with my father, on one particular fishing trip we took. It was after Irina had moved away and my father wanted to cheer me up, so he took us out to the sea and we went fishing. I remember that I couldn't catch anything in spite of my determination to catch the biggest fish my parents would ever see in their lives. On our ever last trip, I was careless; my father fell asleep in the boat and I took hold of his rod, thinking that I would impress him if I caught something awesome in my own words with his very tool. I remember swinging it side to sides, and even at one point attempted to use it like it was meant for fly-fishing. But, the delicate rod was no meant for such violent acts of slashing and swinging, that the waves took hold and it snapped in two, with the damage irreparable.

It was our last trip, because despite having forgiven me, I had never forgive myself for what I had done. The dissatisfaction I felt towards what I did that day cast over me like the moon eclipses the sun. It may have been momentary for me, but I would never forget that single act that day and how awful I felt for betraying his trust and breaking his own rod.

No, that stinging I was feeling earlier was there again, but I was in too much of a confusion in my state of mind to differentiate the two pains.

In the sights of the Phenex family as they gathered to the scene, and after contemplating my options at this point, I tucked my behind myself as I placed myself on my knees, before lowering my face as far downwards as the backs of my palms would allow me. I don't remember if I was bleeding, either an internal or external wound caused by the rapid increase and then drastic decrease in power in such a shortened space of time, but there I was prostrating myself into the deepest dogeza ( _apologetic kowtow_ ) I could perform.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I didn- I shouldn't have entered this room without permission. I upset your bird, and then . . . I attacked it. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. "

I lay there, on the ground with my head buried into the floor as far as it would go. I could feel the utter disgrace riling up inside my stomach. It was as bad as the last time. No, it was worse. What I had done was worse.

My mind was disarrayed that I am not sure what I can recall correctly. I presume that I was still wallowing on the floor and repeatedly saying sorry, sorry, sorry, over and over again. The hundreds of apologies I must have been throwing, and the thousands of negative thoughts that were filling my head were so great that I was drowning out everything else, including the dragon in my arm trying to console me, or at least that's what he said he was doing.

I never asked for their forgiveness when I was apologising. The guilt that was making it hard to swallow was the reluctance I was feeling towards offering something I felt no right to be offered. I knew I had been frightened, and I knew I had been desperate, but that was far from my mind when I was recollecting how I had stumbled in and probably frightened the gigantic bird into terror this late at night.

As far as I could tell, not a word was spoken when I had stopped rambling on and on. Then, there was nothing but the sounds of footsteps gracefully brushing across the floor. As I wasn't looking up, I hadn't a clue to whom it was, but I could tell that it was approaching in my direction. There was a following patter that trailed after the first, but I didn't know until both had reached me.

I could see from the top of my peripheral vision, the sights of a pair of two folded knees poking through a pale peacock blue nightdress and to the right of them was two lilac socks around the size or smaller than both my hands. I slender hand tapped my left shoulder prompted me to lift my head slightly until that same hand cuffed my chin upon it and rose it till I was looking straight at the people looking at me from so near a distance.

With her hand upon the bottom of my face was Lady Phenex, with a concerned expression on her face, and to her side was Ravel who was half hiding behind her mother, and half clinging to her so late into the night as far as I believed.

Instead of being angry with me, she removed her hand and replaced them both around my arms, pulling me in and held me.

The stinging feeling I had been bottling inside myself washed out of me, and then it overflowed to the point it escaped my eyes. I hadn't noticed how shaky I had been till I stopped doing so. My arms went limp for a few seconds, before I pulled my right arm up and held onto her clothing as it was becoming drenched in lacrymation, as the downpour continued running down my cheeks and off the tips of both my nose and my lips.

I felt someone else grab my body as I continued wetting my face as Ravel hung onto my shirt from behind and snuggled her face against the back of my neck. By this time I knew I was making a noise as my repressed feelings started singing in choruses of pained cries and wails.

The only thoughts left in my mind, were those of my parents. And then I felt more tears envelop my sight. My throat became stiff and my throat contracted in an attempt to stifle the croaking gasps that I was unconsciously inhaling.

I mentioned last time that I had never been able to mourn for them due to being confined in hospital. Because of that I felt like I had already past the mourning period as my confinement left me going days and nights in and out of reality before I was released back into the world like a being who was half alive and unable to comprehend his situation.

It only now, after having buried my memories of grief for my parents demise that it all started flooding back to me. Every good memory, every bad one, or even just ones where I could picture them clearly in my mind, it all turned to heartache and then into collapse of my ability to process any other thoughts.

I wanted my family back. I wanted to be in my bed, in my home, in my town. I hated being sent away. I hated sharing a room with three other children. I hated the mundane routine I had went through day after miserable, boring day. I hated my new school. I hated my new life. I hated it. I hated it, hated it, hated it.

With my vision so blurry I have no recollection of who was talking at this time, not that I could see from where I was burying my face at the time. But I would haphazard a guess that the voices belonged first to one of the servants, and the second to Lord Phenex himself.

"Katefo-"

( _"Mistress-"_ )

"Biyles tosyl vioklihdit, zyfsea sofso wop ef pilo ahsetit lydefvietiz."

( _"She has been a mother four times over, so I feel it's best we leave this situation in her care."_ )

"Tye hoyfesys, zyk faf viofsit ok tosyleot."

( _"My apologies, but I have regards concerning the matter."_ )

"Faf yzs wep oresil. Keoxadiz faf yzs zyljiz fyviy witedez zsyses. Pimizpitviy ryfylez efbofz. Ys zefydoly, zefytosly efbofz ylos balsez ys pidho pit odeez oktessyly. Ravel plykyfse oisyt ef yit, vie faf yzs hyfesiz axdesiz zes. Ze fifviot odeviek ye ketessy faxez zefy eizso poizo."

( _"There is no issue here. He isn't a servant nor is he a devil of low standing. He is a child regardless of his race. A homeless, motherless child who was brave enough to admit when he was at fault and not others. Let's not forget that Ravel trusts him completely. She would never forgive us if we did something to him without a just cause.")_

I don't know how long it was that I was wiping tears into Lady Phenex's nightgown, but when I eventually stopped weeping, I still needed a while before I was ready to let go. Lord Phenex had been right when he had said I needed this.

As I started to maneuver myself out of the two-way embrace I had been caught in for several minutes, Ravel was the first to speak to me.

"Yoo okay? Issei?"

Her look of concern as I turned my face. My reddened, tear-stained face which blotched eyes and darkened eyelids were a definitive concern for her, and I could read as much from how sad she looked analysing my face.

After wiping the contents of my face twice over with the back of my right arm, I managed to fish a smile somewhere from my brain and plaster it on my face to tell her that her concern for my well being was greatly appreciated.

"Yes. Yes, I'm alright now. Thank you, Ravel." I then turned my head back and cleaned myself again before thanking the other important person next to me. "Thank you as well, Lady Phenex. And I'm again sorry that I hurt your bird."

"Shhh. You have nothing to apologise for."

She started caressing my head, and brushing lightly across my hair. While I am not saying this is something that was at all necessary, I cannot deny that I enjoyed the feeling. My mother used to do this for me whenever I was upset as well.

It was a strange feeling by all accounts; although this sort of situation, which was being reminded again of my parents should have brought me back to tears, I never felt that stinging in my chest nor did I have the urge to spew my eyes again. Well, I will say I did a little, but I was smiling whilst doing so. I almost felt like I could have fallen back into a semi-state of slumber again, enjoying the peace of the moment whilst happy memories were filling my head in a comforting wave.

The moment was brought back into reality when Ravel was looking over to the device on my left hand.

"Issei, Buushuta! It grew."

"Grew?"

It appeared that I wasn't the only one to have noticed that my Sacred Gear had altered its shape. Ddraig, however, was not too impressed with the term that Lady Ravel had chosen to describe such a miraculous sign of my personal growth. In all the emotional drama I had caught myself into, I had forgotten that I had still kept it activated this entire time.

 **["Ahem! I did not grow, not that an inanimate object with a soul as mine could grow even if I willed it by Great Red itself if I wanted it to. This is my true form, the [Red Dragon Emperor's Left Gauntlet]: {Boosted Gear}!"]**

At the time, I had no idea what was the importance of such a cool name as I was still ignorant of what such titles meant, but at the call of the gauntlet's full title, including what most people would know it as, there room was crowded in an exhaustion of gasps and even heads turning. The sudden surprise that arose on all the faces of even Lord and Lady Phenex themselves was shocking for myself also.

It wouldn't be until I started learning more about the power I had bonded to my soul would I be able to put the two together and realise just how ignorant I had truly been.

"To hear the [Red Dragon Emperor's] voice in my halls is truly a blessing worthy of the Maou themselves. How wonderful to have a voice to that name, Ddraig."

 **["That fiery aura and bright colourings. I recognise a member of the Phenex devils when I sense one."]**

"Welcome to my home, [Red Dragon Emperor]. It is an honour. I am the Sixth Head of the Phenex Clan, Rivalen Phenex, the [Marquis of Phenex]. Everyone else in attendance is my immediate family and our clan servants."

There was a moment of silence for a good two seconds before Ddraig responded, and it was not what anyone could have expected.

 **["The Sixth Head? I remember a time when your grandfather, the Fourth Head came to my lair and tried to make me his familiar. If he hadn't been dragged away by his Missus any sooner, I would have chomped that chicken and eaten him like the yakitori he was."]**

"Sekiryuu-sama!"

I attempted to cover the emerald gem, thinking it was like his mouthpiece, but I was too inexperienced with my Sacred Gear to know of its functions, or that no matter what, Ddraig was not an easy being to shut up once he started speaking.

I was lucky though to have a partner like Ddraig, even at my young age. Even as he had only just fully awakened tonight, he was able to sense my emotions as if they were his very own. Realising that he had probably talked out of line, which was making me feel very uncomfortable, he managed to cease the tension in the room as easily as he had initially been the one who had created it.

 **["I see. My apologies partner for embarrassing you. And to you of the Phenex Clan, accept my apology also. So long as you are taking care of my Partner, I will refrain from using any words of insult towards you and your family."]**

Rayzem chuckled to that response, referencing back to comparing his great-grandfather to grilled meat was obviously quite the amusement for him.

"I have heard of that story, except the part about you turning him to Yakitori."

 **["Take to him next he visits. We'll be sure to straighten that story out, I'm sure."]**

"Well, this is certainly an amusing evening."

Lady Phenex laughed a little behind a closed hand as to cover her mouth like many women do once they reach a level of social maturity. Believe me when I say that was the best way to describe this without getting the dark visor. You do not want to know happens when the switch is flicked so to speak.

It wasn't only her that found the situation to be hilarious. Many of the servants, and even quite a few of the family were showing their own forms of funny responses to the humour, with the most composed ironically being Lord Riser, even as quite a few of his servants were hanging off each other, especially Ni and Li who were still giggling over the 'yakitori' sketch.

I turned my head directly at the jewel emblazoned on the back of my left hand.

"Um, . . . S-sekiryuu-sama."

 **["Ddraig. My name is Ddraig, Partner. I am the [Welsh Dragon], and one of only two dragons to obtain the rank of [Heavenly Dragon]. As my current user, you are my Partner now, Hyoudou Issei."]**

"Partner?"

 **["That's right. From this day until your last, I, Ddraig, solemnly swear to fight your every battle alongside thee, Hyoudou Issei. Together, we shall be the [Red Dragon Emperor] of this generation."]**

I had a partner, and he was dragon. Can you imagine just how exhilarating and awesome it was ricocheting through my head. That deep, solemn voice echoing the words 'partner' and 'together' and especially the name 'Red Dragon Emperor', all English words that I understood and I knew that two of them put together was a very cool and important name indeed, and the colour designation only made it that much more so.

With some new found smile on my face, I fist pumped with my right arm in response.

"Agreed, Ddraig-sama."

 **["No need for honorifics between us, Partner. We are one, for this day and for all days to come. Just 'Ddraig' will be fine."]**

The shock at the mention that this ancient and legendary dragon was to treat myself as if we were more than just equals was definitely a little more than I could handle, and I had had felt that I was going to die more than once this night.

"Hello, Ddraig-san."

Ravel said after looking at me for confirmation that she was allowed to converse with the [Heavenly Dragon] that was residing within my left arm. If I knew how Ddraig was to respond, I probably would have suggested talking be left for another night with fewer witnesses.

Unfortunately, it was me that made the biggest spectacle in that conversation, and not Ddraig.

 **["Hello, young lady. Thank you very much for looking after my Partner for me. And might I add that you are a very beautiful girl for your age. I knew Devils were bewitching creatures, but I am ashamed to say that I have never seen a lovely gathering of gorgeous ladies in one place at any time."]**

"Ddraig!"

 **["What? Can't a gentleman compliment a lady on her looks nowadays? There's no need to be embarrassed. When you're a little older Partner, you'll have to start taking notes. With all the lovely females you're going to start attracting, you'll definitely be a lady-killer-"]**

Before the Red Dragon could speak another word, I started backhanding the {Boosted Gear} against the ground as hard as I could, attempting to silence him from speaking any further. I felt very red in the face, and definitely not in the nice way.

"Baka perverted Dragon-san!"

Without letting up, and in front of many witnesses, I continued to smack and slam my red gauntlet containing the lewd dragon's soul within it around in an effort to shut him up and stop him from making my face redder than a beetroot. There was a series of *CLANG*s and *PANG*s as the metal continued to make a series of uncoordinated attacks against the floor, sometimes with assistance from my right hand, who helped make the swing even harder.

 **["Ow! Partner sto- Ow! I am not a boxing glove! Sto- Ow! Alright! Alright! I give up. I'll stop talking."]**

I didn't stop attacking him even after he said that. I let the continued punches continue for some time until my own embarrassment had died down and I was able to raise my head back at the baffled and some slightly amused members of the Phenex Household.

"Zes katefit eikyg ys plyka viak yra jekya?"

( _"Is that truly what I believe I am seeing?"_ )

Lord Phenex nodded in response to the question from his eldest son, who was in shock what he was seeing that he had never been able to in the centuries he had lived.

"It is indeed, Ruval. When Zemele reported to me that Ravel had met a boy with a dragon-type sacred gear, describing it like a gauntlet, red of colour and a green jewel affixed upon the back of the palm. It was like my childhood was being reawakened; tales of the deadly thirteen artefacts of Jehovah. The weapons to kill a god, the Longinus."

"Wait, this is a Longinus?"

At the sound of that word, the word which Ravel had spoken to me only hours before when we first met, I was now at awe at the sight of the glowing red metal that had encased my left arm in a draconic claw.

"That's right, Issei. You are a very unique individual; you are one of the few people to have been blessed to be born with one of the strongest Sacred Gears in existence. You are the [Red Dra-] actually, I think it would be better to say; you are the '[Sekiryuutei]', Hyoudou Issei."

Those last words of that evening so spoken by Lord Rivalen Phenex would mark the first step on a long journey ahead of me. From a home lost to me and a home that was nothing to me but a name, I had been granted a new home in lands so far beneath the world I had grown up in. But very soon, it would also be the beginning of a new life with the devils of the Phenex Clan, and with my Lady Ravel at the helm.

* * *

 _An ancient tale_

 _the Dragon vs the Phoenix,_

 _of flame versus flame._

 _Though not expected;_

 _When I fell into that nest._

 _And all was because_

 _that day, I awoke_

 _the Red Dragon in my arm,_

 _thus sealed my resolve._

* * *

 **Omake III: Fus Ro Dah**

 **Alek:** I have returned.

 **Issei:** Could have warned me about the cut in dialogue last chapter. My throat was dry for a long time after that abrupt end.

 **Ravel:** And could leave us with something else to do besides sit around and do nothing. This is an empty void after all and we have no idea how long we are here for. If this is what Ophis is seeking, then I really do not see the desire for it. Although, I think she might like this place as a holiday destination. She may feel a little more 'homely' here.

 **Alek:** (ponders to himself) _That may not be a bad idea_. (snaps back to reality) Right, let's just get to the reviews. First off, I hate this, but we got our first  real negative review for this fanon.

 **Issei:** (gasping) Why? What didn't they like?

 **Alek:** (reading the review from **User:RavelBestGirl** ) Dadada-da . . . ' _We don't need the thoughts,speaking and etc. bracket with which every chapter starts, it's unprofessional and readers aren't so stupid as to not recognize what's thought and speech.'_ I was never implying the readers were stupid, so I do apologise. I am sure many readers are fairly intelligent people, and can easily distinguish between different writing patterns. But for the sake of new readers, I feel obligated to at least give them a helping hand. If any other reader felt this way, I apologise to you also.

 **Issei:** (takes a copy of the review) _'Honestly, this chapter made me cringe a lot.'_ (shivers) Hu-h-h-h. Chilling.

 **Alek:** (shaking his head) Hmm, indeed. (continues reading) . . . _'_ _The idea isn't bad at all, seems nice but somehow the feeling behind writing it doesn't have a spark or any distinctive feel to it.'_ All I can say is, I am trying my best. I can't change how I write so easily, so please bear with it if at all possible. (continues) . . . ' _The omake section wasn't bad but it could be so much better without it, feels a bit annoying actually so a forum would be better.'_ (to Issei) No, I'm still not getting rid of it.

 **Issei:** (annoyed) Damn it!

 **Alek:** (continues with the last part) and finally: _'A bit of a bland flashback chapter but not bad at all. All in all it could be interesting if Issei doesn't act as some knight most of the time(chapter 1) and shows more individuality behind that loyalty of a dog he has.'_ Uh, all I can say is, be patient. I do actually have a plan for this, but you will have to wait. Plus, this is kind of biased writing when it all comes down to it.

 **Issei:** (doesn't understand) Why making it biased?

 **Alek:** (explaining) . . . uh, think of it like writing a biography on behalf of your benefactor. Saying bad things about them would not be accepted and would be scratched out of publication. Plus, you're growing up in the Underworld, so you have a leniency towards those you care about. Like, the real you Issei would never say anything bad about the Gremorys, would you?

 **Issei:** (flabbergasted) Of course not. Sure, they can be . . . uh, full of character most of the time, they're not bad people. They're all pretty friendly actually. (thinks back) But then again, the Gremorys are known to being friendly with their servants, so I don't think that was a good example.

 **Alek:** (shrugs his shoulders) Well, what can you do. (trying a new example) Let's take your depiction of Xenovia and Irina's behaviour in the beginning of volume 3. If I recall, you didn't get along very well.

 **Issei:** (defensive) Well of course I didn't. They were members of the church with Excaliburs. Plus, they were bullying Asia, and even trying to justify killing her and all that bulls**t. Glad that we don't have a bad relationship like that anymore though.

 **Alek:** But, in their defense, this was how they were raised, and if the story was from their point of view at the time, it would have seemed justified by how they acted, _to some degree maybe._ You live with your parents and they greatly embarrass you a lot of the time, but they aren't horrible people so you never say anything bad about them, do you?

 **Issei:** (relieved) Oh, I think I get it now. Well, that's a relief.

 **Ravel:** (unimpressed) I think he's losing the point he was trying to make.

 **Alek:** Plus, you have to realise that even in the canon universe, this is all part of one conspiracy in the Underworld that is under your noses.

 **Issei:** (not convinced) I think your losing your marbles here, Author-san.

 **Alek:** (tutting) Ah, young ones. Had you only realised from the premise of the end of Arc 4 that there was a bigger political game going on, we wouldn't be having this discussion. (skipping over this). Right, now to answer some questions. Ravel, take the first one.

 **Ravel:** Alright, so the first one is from **User:firestarter09**. He is asking the question ' _. . . how far will this follow canon?'_

 **Alek:** (scratching his head) Well, as I said in my last discussion, I have actually planned out up until the end of the 4th Arc. With the 5th Arc still in production in the canonical universe, I haven't had an opportunity to adapt what Ishibumi has planned out thus far as I am waiting on the translations along with the majority of English-speaking fans. (to the translators) _You guys are doing great. No hurries at all, just take your time when you have the time._

 **Issei:** . . . You do remember that it's just us here right?

 **Alek:** (fake coughing) O-oh course I do. Ok, the next one is for me. (opens up the review from **User:War_historian** ) Ok then, here we go . . . (reads the review, then pauses before blue lines cover the top half of his face with his mouth still wide open in shock) . . .

 **Ravel:** (concerned when he falls to his side) Author-sama!

 **Issei:** (agitated) Oh no, he's stopped breathing. S**t, he's the only one who can get us out of this place. _And yet still has the power to bleep me._ Was it a negative review? I thought he said he could handle negative criticism! Why is this happening?

 **Alek:** (unreadable) . . . hbwa . . . hinmgwizah . . .

 **Ravel:** Wait, he's speaking again. What is it? What happened.

 **Alek:** (not responsive) . . .

 **Issei:** (picking up the review he dropped) What could have been so bad that he would react like this. (reads the review, then covers his mouth in a snicker).

 **Ravel:** (raising an eyebrow) What is it, Ise-senpai? (Issei shows her the review) . . . Oh- *khmff* (tried to stop herself from laughing) Oh my. I did not see that comin- hahaha- (covers her mouth, but then covers her nose as she starts snorting with humour)

 **Alek:** . . .

 _\- Ten Minutes Later -_

 **Issei:** (having finally calmed down) *ahem*, Ok (stops laughing, but is still smiling) . . . I'm sorry, I can't read this. Ravel?

 **Ravel:** (cheeks hurt from smiling for too long) No no. I'm sorry, I just can't do that. Alek-sama, you'll have to explain why this is so funny, because we can't.

 **Alek:** (half-dead from nihilventilating) **War_historian** said . . . (really hesitant to say it) . . . ' _I'm assuming you don't speak English as your first language'_. (stops when Issei and Ravel go back to laughing) . . . Seriously guys? It's not that funny!

 **Issei:** (rolling around) I'm sorry, but it's freakin' hilarious.

 **Alek:** (pouts) I'll have you know I have two GCSE's in English Language and English Literature.

 **Issei:** That's why we're laughing! (continued to laugh) _This is what you get for making me wet myself._

 **Alek:** (rolls his eyes) Ok, let me just say this; if it's about the spelling, then I will say that I am British, so I spell words with 'u's and substitute 's's where Americans would put 'z's in certain words. (to himself) _Believe me, it's hard enough trying to convince Microsoft Word that this is how words are spelled._ (back to the discussion) If it's the cuts and unusual sentences, then I am sorry, but I can't help it when I am writing. If it is anything else, the please, **historian** , tell me.

 **Issei and Ravel:** (still laughing, but are calming down)

 **Alek:** (snatching the review from Issei, who is breathing heavily on the floor) You also asked me: ' _Are you accepting OC's?'_ Well, the Phenex household throws a lot of parties for high-class devils and what not, so if you want to have a devil show up of your creation, then I could probably add them in their at some point. I don't mind seeing OC's so if you really want then by all means do so.

 **Issei:** (having caught his breath) Now the second question.

 **Alek:** (panicking) There Is No Second Question.

 **Ravel:** (picking herself up) Yes there is; underneath. It says- (tries not to laugh) Sorry, I can't say it. You will have to say it.

 **Alek:** (reluctant) But I don't want to.

 **Issei:** You have to or else.

 **Alek:** (suspicious) Or what? What can you do to make me say anything in this world?

 **Issei:** Nothing, but they can. All those reviewers will be so curious about that second question, that they'll look and they will be laughing behind your back for the rest of your career.

 **Alek:** (comes to realisation) By the Maou, you're right! . . . (pauses as he looks back at the review) . . . _'Do you . . .'_ *ahem* . . . _'D-do you need a beta who can speak English.'_ (cuts out Issei and Ravel laughing again) Right! I will be moving along with this! This is for you Issei.

 **Issei:** (wipes the tears from his eyes, picks up the review from **User:Dragon_Rider_66** , then realises he replied last time as well) Oh hey, this guy again. (clears his throat) _'. . . say, how come issei sounds and acts more like a butler and servant reading from a script than a teenager?'_ (pauses and looks back at the second chapter) Huh? I do sound like a butler.

 **Ravel:** (twiddling her fingers) W-well, I think that it sounds nice, and respectable. I don't doubt that growing up in together wouldn't ingrain you with a different perspective of the world. Plus, you know how . . . um, well that is to say, that my family like to appear respectable, most of the time. If Issei were to act as pervertedly as the Gremory family allows him to, then I think it wouldn't look to good. Especially when we already have Riser to fulfill that role in our clan.

 **Alek:** (looks back at the review) Do you guys think it was a bad idea to make the Rating Game a prologue and then to go back years and years back as the first real cha- (notices Issei is looking at something) Issei!

 **Issei:** (jumps in surprise) Gyah! W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-what, t's not like I'm hiding anything! (fake laughs for his life, but no one buys it).

 **Ravel:** (starts inflaming) Issei.

 **Issei:** (remembering he has no power in this universe) Gah! L-l-l-l-look, it's all **'66's** fault. Yes. H-h-h-e gave me these photos.

 **Ravel:** (snatches it and opens the book) . . . Kyah! W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-why are they all of me!?

 **Issei:** (scared) L-l-l-l-ook, it's **'66's** fault, he put these here, and I didn't ask. Plus, Ravel-chan is so cute and so sexy, how could I not refuse to take a peak at them. All these different cosplay poses, and looks of surprise, embarrassment, arousement, and ecstasy. Truly, this reviewer has great tastes! He knows that the world cannot be lived in without the shapely form of girls being decorated across the halls. TV knows it. Movies know it. And in their glorious art from, even photography knows it. Just like how breasts are not just lumps of fat, but are the fillings of men's hopes and dreams . . . (continues to rant)

 **Alek:** (to the audience) That was a reference from **"Oda Nobuna no Yabou"** or in English, **"The Ambition of Oda Nobuna"**. It's a light novel series spanning more than 15 light novels at the moment. _None of which are available, god damn it._ But the artwork is also done by Miyama-Zero, and there is a twelve episode adaptation of the first four light novels, and I would recommend you watch it if you haven't already. (looks back at Issei) I think he's about done.

 **Issei:** (continued ignorantly) . . . with their delicate bodies and of so subtle forms, how could I not get excited when I was presented with a whole album's worth of pictures of Ravel-chan when I was given the opportunity? Would I not be considered a true man if I never took a peak at such wonderful things?

 **Alek:** (not impressed) This is why I don't like writing perverts.

 **Issei:** (looks at him after catching his breathe) And this is why you can't write in English.

 **Alek:** (falls to his side with black lines over his forehead again) . . . aaaaaaaaaagaaagagaga . . .

 **Ravel:** (nervous) Ise-senpai.

 **Issei:** (half afraid, half curious) Y-yes, Ravel-chan?

 **Ravel:** (covering her face) Y-you know that you don't need outside sources to get pictures of me. (tries to act casual and chalant, but still red in the face) As your manager, it's my responsibility to keep you happy.

 **Issei:** (slightly drooling and nose-bleeding) G-go on.

 **Ravel:** (hands flicking through he rest of the photos) W-well, I mean, if this is what you need, then I think that there is no reason you couldn't just ask me to- (stops midsection while flicking through the photos) . . . Wait.

 **Issei:** (concerned) Ravel?

 **Ravel:** (picks out a particular photo from the pile) Why is there a picture of  that cat in here. (shows Issei a picture of sexy Koneko in cosplay)

 **Issei:** (not realising it was in there) What!

 **Ravel:** (angry as she picks out a few more) And there is even one of her sister in her too. And . . . Both of them at once!

 **Issei:** (terrified as he slowly steps away) Ravel-chan, please. Remember, i-i-i-it's not what you-

 **Ravel** : (blazing) ISSEI! (fire consumes the screen along with Issei's scream as he runs away)

 _-cut in temporary transmission-_

 _-Hang in there Kit-_ ***PRUMPH***

 _\- . . . -_

 _-Huh. Nevermind.-_

 **Ravel:** (neatening up her dress whilst panting, slight soot on her face which she wipes off) Well, I think we should move on then. (eyes Issei) Ri~ight.

 **Issei:** (covered in soot, tearful with his arms full of burnt photos) *sniff* Hai, Ravel-chan *sniff* (to the photos) _Sleep tight, sweet princesses. No one can hurt you anymore._

 **Ravel:** Hey, Author-san. You done crying again too?

 **Alek:** (wiping his nose and eyes) Yes, yes. (looking over to Issei) _Well, at least I know he's still perverted at the very least_. (to **'66'** ) Maybe, a porno unrelated to the characters would suffice next time, don't you? (shaking his head at the sight of scorch marks everywhere) Right, now to our last one. I'll do it since the two of you need cleaning up.

 **Issei and Ravel:** Hai! (leave off screen temporarily)

 **Alek:** (clearing his throat) So, this is from **User:RedSS**. _'Hopefully you aren't abandoning this fic, right? (RIGHT?)'._ Well, I can tell you, that I have no plans to abandon it thus far. (to himself) _E_ _specially when I'm already three chapters ahead of you all_.

 **Ravel:** (Both she and Issei return) Well, I think we can move on now then. (to **'66'** , with a disturbing smile) _Send another photo of any of those cats again, and I will roast them. Understand?_

 **Issei** (Tries to avert her attention) . . . Ho ho! I just realised something!

 **Ravel:** (cools down a little in curiosity) What is it, Ise-senpai?

 **Issei:** Its name, o-of the devil's language; 'Deftodiz'. It almost resembles the English phrase 'death to this'.

 **Ravel:** (fizzles out, gasping) . . . How in Maou's name did I not notice this before?

 **Issei:** (wipes the sweat from his brow, pretending to be suspicious) Did you plan for this, Author-sama?

 **Alek:** (understands the situation) Actually no. I didn't notice this until I had already made the word that it looked like that. 'Twas all but a happy coincidence.

 **Ravel** : That sounded smug.

 **Alek:** Did it? I feel smug. I actually got it from translating 'lingua malus' aka 'foul language' into the rhefugian cipher, then I removed the second half of the first word and *BAM*, I had 'deftodiz'. A happy coincidence.

 **Ravel:** (suspicious) A little too happy if you ask me. (gives in) Never mind though, we better get back to the explanations before we get distracted again. By the way, is Ddraig able to join us?

 **Alek:** (contemplating) Hmm, I don't know. Issei, go ask him, but I don't think I can guarantee him appearances in each omake, or at the very least a starring role here.

 **Issei:** (talking to his left hand) Yo Ddraig, you awake?

 **Ddraig:** ({Boosted Gear} appears) [I am here, Partner. From what I am seeing so far, I just hope he doesn't go down the dark path and live only for the sake of fondling a women's chest. However, I must protest my last interaction; Are you trying to substitute my partner's perversions unto myself?]

 **Alek:** (feeling his pressure) I-I assure you Ddraig, it was never in my intentions. Seeing as you are a dragon and a male as you are, you obviously had to experience the dragon's aura throughout all of your possessors lifetimes so it would be natural that you would bring this up in conversations as preparation.

 **Ddraig:** (leaves a brief pause before answering) [I see. Good. As long as we understand each here.]

 **Issei:** Can I also ask about something before we get started? The dragon language you used, I think I've heard it somewhere, but I don't know enough of the vocabulary to know what it was from the first readings.

 **Alek:** It's Thu'um.

 **Issei:** (lost) Huh?

 **Alek:** . . . Or Dovahzul, or whatever you want to call it. It's just the Dragonish Language used in "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim".

 **Ravel:** So, there is no originality in it what so ever?

 **Alek:** No. I didn't see the point in making a dragon language on top of having went through the trouble of introducing a devil language. Since this will be featured less and only appear at critical times.

 **Ravel:** (agreement) That's a logical conclusion. Plus since it's already well developed, it shouldn't be a problem for other people to use also.

 **Alek:** Exactly. Glad I chose Ravel-chan to explain this. She is a great help.

 **Ravel:** (embarrassed) P-p-please, don't use m-my name so casually like that. It's embarrassing.

 **Issei:** But, I also call you Ravel-chan.

 **Ravel:** (hiding her face) I-I know.

 **Alek:** (whispering) _Shit, I think my OOC Ravel is starting to bleed into canon Ravel._ (curious) _I will need to investigate this soon. Who know how long their original personalities will last being subjected to my own writings._

 **Ddraig:** [Talking aloud will get you nowhere, Author-san. Especially when you are in ear shot of a member of the mighty dragon race.]

 **Alek:** (clearing his throat as Issei and Ravel return to attention) Right, my apologies. Well, since Ddraig is already here, how about you give us a run down on some important translations of words we use and what you dragons would say.

 **Issei:** (attentive) I would also like to know quite a bit since the canon me also a dragon.

 **Ravel:** I would be nice to learn some new knowledge as well.

 **Ddraig** [(smug) Well, if you all insist, then one must fulfil his obligations. (clears his throat) First of all is my name, or rather my full name. You humans and devils and other such being use "Y Ddraig Goch", which is Welsh for "The Red Dragon", which I find appropriate.]

 **Alek:** (interjecting) I should point out that despite how it looks, it sounds more like "Ah Thryeg Gock" rather than "Yi Drayg Goch".

 **Ddraig** : [(confused) That's what I just said.]

 **Alek:** I know, but English to Welsh isn't the easiest thing to explain by simply writing it out. Sorry for interrupting, carry on.

 **Ddraig:** [(coughing) As I was saying, while that is my name in common languages, I am called "Sahqoyol" or "Red Blaze" in Dovahzul.]

 **Issei:** Ooh. That name alone without translation gives me the chills.

 **Ravel:** So, how about Albion's name?

 **Ddraig:** [My Rival, Albion Gwiber is also called "Sotviidost" or "White Poison". I can't say what every Dragon's name is, but I know for certain that Yu Long's is "Graagkulaan" of "Green Prince", Vritra is "Vedhorvut" or "Black Snare", and Jormungandr or Midgardsommr is "Sadonpraal" or "Grey Sleep". For other dragons, I cannot say with certainty, but if I would hazard a guess, Tiamut maybe "Blue Chaos" ("Biitahrovin"), and Fafnir "Gold Monarch" ("Yuvonjun") possibly. I'm unsure towards Tannin since there is no word for "purple" or "meteor" as far as I am aware. Great Red and Ophis don't apply since they had names years before the language came into fruition, but in tales we call them "True Dream" ("Vahzahahnu") and "Forever God" ("Ulserah").]

 **Issei:** (an idea pops into his head) . . . Hey, what about my name?

 **Ddraig** : [(confused) Your what?]

 **Issei:** Well, I'm a dragon also, _in canon_ , so I should have a name. What should my name be?

 **Alek:** (covering his laughter) I could think of a few, but I don't think the Dovahzul is that wide in language vocabulary (snickers to himself).

 **Ravel:** Well, moving on before he decides to do anything even more outrageous, we seemed to have overrun our time here.

 **Alek:** (realising his mistake) Oh shit. Yes your right. Ddraig, last thing; What about the Sacred Gears, do you have names for them, or are they just the same in any language.

 **Ddraig:** [(ponders) Well, not that I am aware. I don't think we have such words in existence, but the closest translations I could probably think of off the top of my head would be something along the lines of "{Zundo Siivfus}" or "the created weapon (tool) of gaining power (strengthening)" for my {Boosted Gear}, and for {Divine Dividing} I would say "{Zundo Gahrotfus} **"** or "the tool of stealing power (weakening)".]

 **Alek:** Thank you Ddraig for coming. I hope to bring you back next time.

 **Ddraig:** [I hope not.] ({Boosted Gear vanished})

 **Alek:** . . . Screw you too then. (realises they wasted a whole segment and never explained a thing) Oh, shit. We have no more time.

 **Issei:** (furious) Wait! He gets to leave, and we have to stay here! Bulls**t- Hey, you said 's**t' earlier- and you just bleeped me again!

 **Alek:** Your a children's television star, Issei. I can't have you swearing in public. Think of the children who look up to you, Oppai Dragon.

 **Issei:** (sighs in defeat) You win.

 **Alek:** Good. But, you are right. I can't have you being bored all the time, so I got you this. (throws them a laptop through the screen) It's a little busted, but it should suffice. Just, don't move the screen too much or you'll accidentally turn the power button off. (has an idea) How about you go check out the translations for the light novel series. 21 translated volumes should keep you occupied for a while, as well as the two DX Short Stories collections, the EX six-parter, and the -SLASHDØG- web novel prequel 2011 rewrite, all of which are available to read.

 **Ravel:** (uses the laptop) Ok, do you know the address?

 **Alek:** Of course, it's at %£#£!$^#!. You got it?

 **Ravel:** (observing) Hang on . . . Yes! We got it. My word there are a lot of translations already done.

 **Alek:** Alright, happy? (sees their nods). Ok then. That's it for today. Bye-bye!

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'firestarter09', 'redclaw39', 'War historian',** **'FateBurn', 'RedSS', 'Cain the Bloody Fallen', 'Dragon Rider 66', 'Guest' (3), 'TheLaughingStalk Lenny-Kun',** **'warrof', 'RavelBestGirl', 'Yankee718', 'EternalZ Freedom', and 'RizomataNyan'** **for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **Thank you especially to all of you who have helped me reach over 100 favourites and 100 follows. You guys, *sniff*, are just so great for supporting this story and I really appreciate it as well.**

 **Forget what I said about long chapters. i will just right as much as I feel like and see what there is. If there is any improvements that you think I should do, then feel free to tell me. Oh, and I deliberately blurred out the site in case one of the companies finds out and shuts it down for translating. Wouldn't want to be the one responsible when I am one of the people who use it. Even by the smallest of chances. Kadokawa was merciless when they acted against fan-translations, and I would hate to see that again.**

 **Issei's narrations won't change, different upbringing and everything. But I have listened to what you have said, and will work on them in the future. I will also give you forewarning if I will be taking a break to focus on outside work and other stuff like that.**

 **If anyone wishes to Beta-read, then I am more than grateful for the offer, but it will be first come, first serve however.**

 **And if you have anymore gifts for Issei, Ravel, or even myself, then leave them with your reviews and we will look at each and everyone of them. Just be aware of what you send, OK.**

 **R.I.P. Sexy Photo Album. _May a flight of White and Red Dividing Wyvern Fairies sing thee to thy rest._**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**

 **P.S. Issei's dragon name would be like "Crimson Destiny" ("Sahqondez") . . . *khmmf***


	4. Fairy-tale Engagements

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release. And also I would like you all to by me some cake and/or a present before reading this story. Done it yet? Good. You may read it now.**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

* * *

It was in the year AM 5763 when I would meet the future owner of my hometown of Kuoh. And at the age of eleven I, Hyoudou Issei, was learning to speak Deftodiz, the language of the devils before this all happened.

"Issei ezu . . . fatifez ch-chi. Viek . . . orez . . . wakei?"

( _"My name is Issei. How are you today?")_

"No; ' _Issei_ _yzs_ _fa_ _te_ _fez_ _tye_ _. Viek orez wa_ _key_ _?'_. You're never going to learn Deftodiz if you keep adding in Japanese inflections into every syllable you use."

"S-sorii, Ravel. It's just haard tu compliitlii sheike off and riilurn how tu spiik."

It probably sounds stupid that I am struggling to learn what would appear to be the most basic of sentences, like something they would teach you at your fourth year of school, but I was barely even talking to people like this, so this was a new experience for me.

I had managed to shake off pronouncing my "L's" as "R's", and all the unnecessary "u" sounds between lone consonants, but with vowel sounds, I was still struggling a bit with the much larger vocabulary range that was involved with how multiple sounds could originate from fewer letters.

To better illustrate how absurdly my way of speaking was back in those days, I have opted to present every word using vowels both singularly and in diphthongs as they would be seen in romanji, while also keeping the consonants the same as to at least keep my words readable to you.

Obviously, I won't touch people's names since they don't fall in this category.

"Well you're going to be living with us, so you need to learn the correct etiquette in not just communication, but also in spelling, grammar and most important, manners of address. Although, I must say that you pick up Deftodiz faster in a single year than Riser did in with Japanese in twelve."

"It's a necessitii hia, raatha than compulsarii as it wos when Lord Riser wos lurning. Bisaides, I am greitful that yuu and your familii . . ."

Before I could even finish my sentence, I was welcomed in the face by an open palm.

"Stop. It's glum when you're always being grateful and thankful. You are my friend. As if you would expect me to leave you behind when you had no home to go to."

Scratching my head whilst making the most unsophisticated expression possible without looking like an imbecile, I responded

"I suppouse. Arigato Ravel."

" _Rloseoz_ , Issei. _Ar-lo-se-oz._ "

"R-right. _Rloseoz_ Ravel.

Despite being a year younger than I was, Lady Ravel was a very strict teacher. Not in the punishing sort of fashion one would have expected, but nevertheless, she expected perfection from me. I do not fault her for wanting me to achieve the very best of my abilities, but I do have to admit that despite the fact that we were the best of friends for most of the time we spent together, her teacher mode was the one thing that I was never looking forward to seeing every day.

The completely ironic part of this tale is that when I would eventually be granted my evil piece, the complex magic woven into the little chess ornament would grant me an automatic multilinguistic formulae directly into my brain which would allow me to listen and speak, along with reading, any known language as if I was fluent in it. Conversing with someone in French for instance, when I myself had never been to France, nor could I claim even to this day to know a word of French off by heart. But it would be a matter of simply being introduced to something in French and I could act as if I was fluent in the subject. Words however where never translated and would require a lot of work if I ever needed to write the language down.

It sounds like a very big cheat code being woven into my psyche, which is why Ravel, and by extension her family, decided that I should at least make the effort in learning how to converse with other devils without needing to rely on Maou Beelzebub's operative systematic sequences.

It wasn't a large request, but as a monolinguist, learning another language in its entirety was a daunting task to start with, and the weeks of increased information never made it any easier.

"Right then, now we shall move on to conjugations; first off, 'I am'."

"Oukei. Um; yzzy, jit, . . . um, biye, . . . and, uh . . . bis-bisiliz?"

"Close, but it's zit and bie. Yzzy ( _to be_ ), zit ( _I am_ ), bie ( _I was_ ), and bisiliz ( _I am to be_ ). You still need to work on your pronounciations of words, but you will get used to it eventually. Next is 'I love', go."

"Um, ota, . . . otily, . . ." And so forth, and so forth. This was a continuous exercise that I continued to go through. Since showing such slow progress is not what I wanted to be explaining to you, I will just skip over this and move on to later in the day.

It was after an hour that Ravel had finally put down the books for the day and picked up another book from her shelves. I should have mentioned this before, but we were in her room that day, like we were every day when Ravel would take personal charge of my language lessons.

Since we were done with words, Ravel had me practising writing in devil letters or the 'Azaberkna', which after having learnt to memorise hiragana and katakana, or most of them at least at the time I was practising, learning to memorise and apply devil letters which were only the consonants and not syllabaries so there were fewer symbols to learn. The problem was then adding in the vowel signs, which was a difficult task to remember as they were a series of dots and strikes which made it confusing to then differentiate pronunciations when it was troubling in at itself.

My own name was the only thing that I could get right; using a 'T' sign that was leaning over to the right side as if the top part had become heavy, which I then added a small dot beneath to signify an /i/ sound. And then one sign that looked like the left side of an arch with two lines dropping diagonally right like a rotated Euro sign, which made and /s~s/ sound, which I found weird since it also represented a /ts/ sound as well. Right above it. I placed a small 'v' shape above which was the /ei/ sound I needed until I had my /i:s~sei/ to spell out my own name.

I could rewrite that several times over with no problems, and as long as it was /i/ or /ei/, I could instantly recognise the vowels. Ravel's name was the second name I could do over and over again, with only an /e/ vowel sound made from two dots over a 'U' with an 'I' drawn right down the middle and a little below like the head of a trident, which was the /v/. There was also 'K' like symbol that made an /r/ and an 'A' with the middle line moved to the top left side which was an /l/, but that's just diverging too far from the point I was illustrating.

"Whot aare yuu riiding?"

I asked her that after becoming bored with writing down several pages worth of the same words written using Azaberkna. From my view at the opposite side of the table, and beyond the sheets of paper, ink based pens ornate with phoenix feathers, and an eraser that could be squeezed like a sponge to retrieve the wasted ink, there was a book coloured in brown with a bright orange hue of what its first colour may have been. Though it looked to be ancient, to be in the hands of the now ten year old Ravel seemed an irresponsibility from an average person's perspective.

But they would be underestimating the amount of care and attention Lady Ravel paid to the preservation of knowledge in its rarity.

"Zekram Bael slaying the sea-dragon, Lotan: Back when there were no such beings as angels and the devils were on par with the gods, we all lived in the heavens with the Zophasemin, that is to say the Ancient Gods of the Levant. We were all ruled over by Elyon, the [King of the Gods], and the God who rules over the angels now was merely Yahm, the [Lord of the Sea and of Floods] which made him most infamous, as well as one of Elyon's sons, the [Elohim]. Hamad, the [Lord of the Weather], was his older brother and the heir to Elyon, known for his generous nature in providing rains for the human to grow their crops and keep their lands fertile and prosperous. Jealous was Yahm and thus down he sent his servant, the sea dragon Lotan, to devour him as he returned from his yearly journey into the Underworld. But before the creature could, Elyon's loyal servant, Zekram Bael, stood guard at the entrance and waited for the waters to touch his feet, and would thus destroy the beast with his {Power of Destruction} in the shape of a blade, saving his liege lord and returned the lands to the spring. Definitely one of the best of the early histories that remains intact."

I nodded in agreement, having heard of the story many times in the allotted presence I had been around for. Apart from the legends of Mephisto Pheles and the first Devil-Magician contracts, the gathering of the original Grand Order of the Qlippoth, even tales of the closer age when the Old Satan and Anti-Satan Factions clashed for dominance in the Underworld. One of the most popular, and definitely the most sacred of tales was also one of the oldest recorded stories of the dragon-slaying tales.

Unfortunately, reminiscing on the past was not something too happy for devils ever since the righteous days when the devils were once beings who could be considered lesser deities in their own right, was null but the cherished memories of the older devils who had either gone into retirement now, or at least were not buried in the ground with the rest of their kind following the 'Shamayim Milchamah' or 'Xyddit Poydit' ( _The War in the Heavens_ ).

Ravel sighed as the mere thought to it consumed her attention, drawing it away from the book she held close to her, almost dropping it as she no longer felt the desire to turn over another page, nor read a sequential word following the last passage her eyes drew over.

"It's sad that this is one story among many that were lost to the human world when Yahm became Yahweh, the God of the Bible who rules the three great sects of the faiths descended from Abraham, and that the lies he tells are the ones accepted over the words of beings now forces to live in the shadows in the belly of the earth."

It's true that not many people realise just how connected the devil and angel races truly were, nor do any of the mortals comprehend that the universe is older than the six thousand year mark some of them set based on the words as written in Genesis.

In short, in one of the years, the early empires of the Hittites and the Aegyptians, began to make their presses against the northern and southern borders of the Zophasemin's territory, and the massive number deaths, burning of idols and the destruction of their temples left the gods weakened by the advance of the imperials. The only god to maintain his full strength close to the end, was Yahm, who maintained his hold on the seas and thus held on to his power longer than other gods who focused on gathering their worship from upon the land in the caves, homes and mountain tops that were being overrun by foreign civilisations daily.

After the eventual death of Elyon when his followers and believers had become dust on the earth, Yahm killed his brother Hadad, and his other brother Mot, the Lord of the Underworld, taking his place as the new supreme god of the Levantine, Yahweh ( _the Creator_ ). He completely rewrote the system of worship, and began his own form of concentrated worship by recreating a small population from scratch in isolation within the Fourth Heaven known as "Eden", and thus this is where the bible starts as well as the new calendars used by all members of the Three Factions.

Though he proved to have salvaged the faith by reforming it around himself and keeping his faithful worshiping in secret cults under thumb of the empire, his reign would not remain a secure one for what he had done to accomplish this. One by one, the surviving gods turned on him, and though many perished and faded from existence, the remaining retreated underground into their section of the Underworld where Mot had once ruled, and it was their they established their resistance to the new God.

The leaders and survivors of this faction became the original Maou; Attar Lucifer, [Lord of War and the Morning Star]. Litanu Temtum (who later took the name Anat Leviathan), [Lady of the Tides and Strife]. Ekron Zebul (later Ekron Beelzebub), the [Lord of Pestilence, Plague and Swarms]. And Aeshma Daeva of the Bloody Mace (also known as Kashim Asmodeus), [Lord of Rage, Fury and Wrath], from the Zoroastrian faith would joined them when the war spread across into Northern Mesopotamia. It wasn't until they were blessed by the presence of Lilith, the future wife of Lucifer, that the faction officially became the Devils. For their actions against Yahweh, they were dubbed the Ha'shaitan ( _the enemies_ or _adversaries_ ), of which they took the name and made themselves the Four Great Satans.

It is known that not all the original devils came from the Zophasemin, as like Kashim Asmodeus, they also came from other groups of gods who began to lose power and influence once Yahweh began to integrate their respective regions within his sphere of influence. Arcaezias Naberios was a chthonic deity under the Olympians in the Peloponnese, Fridhurix Barabatos was the patron of a Pre-Roman cult in Northern Italy, Labal Paimon originated from Ancient Persia near the waters of the Gulf, and Wosyet Uval came from the Upper lands of Egypt. Others of such notoriety, like Rofocale Lucifuge, arrived during the Dark Ages when Christianity's hold on Europe wavered momentarily after the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West. Generally, the original 72 Pillars are ranked by which devils sided with Attar Lucifer's faction first, while their nobility ranks like King, Prince or Duke were granted to show how powerful they were compared to their fellow devils, all of which compiled into the High-class of devils. Later devils who arrived in the later ages became the many clans of the Extra Demons of the Middle-class ranks. And then below them are the servants, either lesser beings who inhabited Mot's realm before the devils who were graced with reincarnation, or even the household servants and newer reincarnated devils who serve the remaining houses of the 72 Pillars, all in habit the Low-class ranks in the Underworld.

There is a lot more history I could delve into, but I shall leave it for another time.

"It must have been nice, for my ancestors to have woken up each day with a real sky above their heads and the endless bounds of the horizon either side as far as the eyes could pass over. The very notion of worship is now a hereditary ailment to us devils thanks to the system he has implemented in Heaven now."

With the conversation dipping into the depressions, I prompted myself to think of the first thought and try to introduce that into the conversation as a distractionary tool from this ghastly subject of lost graces.

"Whuu did tha Phenex originallii surve?"

I am slightly repulsed and embarrassed with such examples of mine butchering of the language now that I am reflecting upon it in details as these. I am within hopes that the next occasion will be more subtle and composed than this, but thinking ill of the past does not allow it to teach us how to better our present, and so we must push onward.

It was with great fortunes that the topic distracted Ravel momentarily from the lingering sadness. Turning her head at me, before thinking back for a short span of time and answering my question.

"Hmm. Well, I know that my first ancestor, Khyna Phenex served under Lord Moloch, who was the Lord of Fire and Healing, according to our history. And, if I recall; his territory was actually located along the north, where the Phoenicians resided, and that is apparently where we got our family name from. I know that with the most certainty because it was also there that we discovered the bird that we named after ourselves, the Phoenix."

To see a small smile for even a little while was a good start, but the recollections on familial history only seemed to heighten the realism in what had occurred many centuries before. It must both be a fascination and a burden to think back on something lost with such significance.

The bird creature that I stumbled into on my first night in the manor, Chol. He also came from this region apparently, which is why Lord Phenex was determined to bring him into his home as his familiar. 'A souvenir from our motherland' is apparently what he said to his family at the time. I have no further comments on whether I was or am pleased with this decision or not, as you can imagine.

Since my topic of conversation was not enough of a push to move past this topic at hand, I had to think a little more creatively and try to shift the conversation away into something with more of a diversion that would not swing back around to this misery.

The book, which she had ceased reading after the conversation was drawn into a dark path, was still in her possession, and that was when the idea came to me. She seemed to enjoy the story well enough to reread the book despite the implications that it brings up by unearthing the fragments left of a fallen past that could never be hoped to be regained.

"Sou, yuu laike knaights?"

She turned her head slowly, obviously stricken with a brief episode of misconception as the quite profound leap from one train of thought to a conjoining line heading into another direction, before the links aligned and she was able understand the topic brought forth. As expected of my Lady, her mind was ever as efficient as and more so than one would presume of a young lady of her age to be.

Once she had made that easy transition, she opened her real feeling to the more favourable discussionary caption. It made me happy seeing her happy again. It was lovely to see a smile return to her face as she spoke her mind so openly and freely on a subject that made her pleasantly giddy.

"I love them-. Th-the stories I mean; you see I remember being essentially brought up listening to stories that Dowhar, one of our family butlers, used to tell me since I was old enough to listen. About the heroes that would arise from humble origins or awaken his predestined fate to fight against the injustice, and the villain who would desire to spread unnecessary disorder that would threaten peace and sanity. And the Hero wasn't always in bad company, sometime with friends to aid at his side and always willing to watch his back for him without want for glory or honours. And, if the hero was lucky, there was also a woman who would always be at his side supporting him no matter what, whom they would fall in love with each other and live the rest of their lives in the new world they created together."

From the almost nervousness involved in the rolling of fingers and the down facing tilt of her head during the last sentence

"I know I'm not a strong as Ruval, or as smart as Rayzem, or as even as . . . c-charismatic as Riser. I know that I have my own limits at the moment, but I know that, at the very least, I can be that woman who stands at the side of the hero. I could be the Keshet to the new Zekram before he is to slay the dragon."

Even in a world full of magic, it was still at its core a patriarchal society, where males were still considered higher priorities. Despite both male and female devils being on par in terms of magical ability, some would say that the women were more proficient in magic as they had the greater chance in inheriting the abilities of their parents over men. But that mattered little when you also had to consider physical strength also, as males were generally able to withstand greater levels of attacks with their basic body strength and less with magic.

Either way it could be interpreted, it was still a hierarchy structure that prioritized on strength more than any other factors. It wasn't a stretch to consider smarts as a type of strength, but it you can form an air tight military strategy, but cannot handle being whacked around by a mid-level tier magic attack, than it was a disgraceful and shameful display not worthy of being recognised by those who held true strength.

Seeing how happy the idea of being at least able to fulfil this role which she had confided as the best possible outcome for her, it made me warm to see her with a positive outlook. However, it also got me to contemplate on this situation; my lady doubting her own abilities, and simply thinking upon it was making myself feel sad in her place.

No. That was not what I wanted for her. She needed something greater to reach for. Even the eleven year old me who was her only friend in the world could see that clear as the artificial skies hanging above our heads. I had only known her for a year or so, and even if she was one devil out of an entire family of amazing and wonderful people, it didn't fit that her goal should be something so submissive to fate.

I didn't need Ddraig's voice echoing through my cranium to tell me there was a fire burning in my lungs. I inhaled very deeply and began my new topic for this discussion starting out calmly and aiming to build it up as we continued to talk.

Slapping both my knees, I prepared to ask her;

"In tha storii, tha wan about Lourd Zekram Bael and Lotan. Which wuld I bii: the hiarou or the dragun?"

She looked back up with a puzzled expression, before it settled into one that I would interpret as playful anger.

"Well that's a stupid question, Issei. You're not either the hero or the dragon, you're both. You are the hero and you are also the dragon."

"I can bii bouth?"

I asked her, before she had to stare at the ceiling to rearrange her thoughts on the matter for a brief minute.

"There's no rule that the hero can't also be the dragon. I heard from my older brother Ruval that Lord Tannin only became a devil in order to save a species of dragon who could only eat special apples that now only grows here in the Underworld. In a way, he is the personification of an amalgamation between the hero and the dragon."

I was confused with the sudden inclusion of larger words like 'personification' and 'amalgamation', but I mostly understood what she was trying to tell me. Though off-guard for a minute after being told that being both was an option, as I had not considered such an answer in the short space of time that I was thinking my grand plan over, it did little to halt my passion in what I wan- I needed to tell her.

"Ravel."

"Yes, Issei?"

I hesitated a little at first, but I pulled myself up until I was on my feet and looking down at her from the opposing side of the table. It may have looked like nothing but a dramatic tool for what I was about to say to her, but I needed to motivation to speak from the heart, and something that could have easily have been copied from a protagonist on a television show was what I needed to keep my focus on what was in hand.

I clenched my fists and took both arms to my sides, before bending them 90-degrees forward, as I made my pitch of what I believed was the dream she should have been aiming for.

"When yuu biicume a King, I wunt tu bii yor Knaight. I will bii bouth tha hiarou and tha dragun just laike yuu sed I shuld. When yuu meike yor deibeut as a Reiting Geime challenger, I will bii there tu protect yuu everii step of tha weiy."

"Issei."

Her eyes got a little watery, but I was more focused on my speaking to notice such a little change. I think maybe her face was a little red as well, but I was probably embarrassing her with such dramatism to give Riser a run for his money as a clear reason for this change.

All the while, her voice remained soft and listened intently to my words.

"I'm gunna maaster mai seicrid giar, become the [Sekiryuutei] I'm meant tu bii, and then I will bii there when yuu win, standing there with a laarge smaile on mai feice and mai aarms oupen waide sou wii can celebreite with a greit big hug."

Her eyes were like stars that had awoken as the night rolled in from its slumber during the day, and one by one began to light up to illuminate the blackened sky in replacement of the downcasted sun who had been hiding all day behind greyfallen clouds.

"You mean that?"

"Of corse I du. I miin everii wurd, and I will seiy them agen louder till even God hears them on his cruuked old throune. I'll bii yor hiarou and yor dragun, and yuu will bii mai hiarou, and wii'll claimb sou haigh that wii'll tuch tha heavens and yuu'll bii eible tu sii where yuur aare driims riallii ment tu teike yuu. If yuu caan't fly that haigh, then I'll carry sume of that weight for yuu, and I'll even give yuu a piggiiback if I niid tu. Yuu will gou sou haigh that tha ounlii thing left will bii tha Sun itself. Yuu weit for that deiy, and I promise yuu wii'll sii it tuugether."

If my Deftodiz wasn't so broken, I think this would have retained such a passionate speech without being drowned in a mismatch of wrong words and mispronounced syllables. When I was done, I felt a brief exhaustion catch me, but I stood standing like a stone statue for a minute before allowing the force of the earth to pull me back onto my seat.

That was also the day I felt my heart race fast, then, on one occasion when I caught a look to see how Ravel was feeling, it skipped. In amidst the wide smile and closed eyes, and there was partial moment where she was just laughing for the sake of wanting to laugh, with tears running down her cheeks, where . . . I cannot truly explain, but it was like I was seeing Ravel for the first time again, and I was looking upon her with a new perception in mind.

Though the princess crying under the bridge in a stormy day overlapped the image, this moment was . . . a pericombobulation. It's not the word I should have used, but I felt that it was close enough for myself of eleven years old to have been able to understand.

The scene however was broken, when the door clicked and slowly creaked open. And so we both stopped what we were doing, and turned both our heads towards the figure now looking into the room.

There, standing halfway at the doorway was a girl that I had never once seen before; she wasn't any older than twelve years old at the time, dressed in fine clothes that made her look like she was from Victorian Britain, with a dress of various light and complimenting blue and green to highlight her azure coloured eyes, and with a matching bonnet of similar shades wrapped around her head that drew more attention to her face. She had a shawl draped over her shoulders in a light purplish hue that was also strong in colour also as if to signify maternal heritage now that I think more diligently on its significance.

But of course, the most striking feature she bore, was the long and neatly falling hair that cloaked over her shoulders as if to sink and camouflage into her shawl, in the brightest and shiniest hue of crimson red I would ever set my eyes upon. If I were to describe it in one sentence, I would say that it would draw all the light in any one room into itself like some Lancastrian Rose coloured black hole.

"Um, who are you?"

Ravel's response was not unwarranted; I had never seen this girl in my life either, and I was definitely certain that she wasn't one of the servants or a peerage member among one of the few possibilities. My only logical answer to this was in fact the furthest from the truth, when based on what little I was still aware of in how the Underworld functioned as its own society and independent nation, and came to the briefest of conclusions that she may have been one of the newest of Lord Riser's pieces.

Stupid as it may have been, I wasn't at all aware of the rest of the Underworld as my position was still a little uneasy. I will explain that in further detail a bit later, but not now.

I find my previous statement in the highest of ironies reflecting back on what I had said in regards to the present day situation. Little was I aware that this was all in relations this very day.

Judging from her facial expressions, while she looked the part of a well privileged heiress, her outfit was all unfavourable manners of discomfort as she seemed to move around less like a sentient being and more robotic, like her clothes were restricting natural contractions and reflexes in all of her joints. The very same point was demonstrated when she tried to grant a polite bow, but could barely bend her back any further than a 10-degree angle out of the possible 90-degrees one was afforded to use when producing such a gesture.

"Hello, I didn't mean to intrude. I'm Rias."

"I don't think you need to be so formal, Riri."

"Akeno!"

Apparently, she wasn't alone. The second voice, belonging to presumably Akeno who was out of our sights as she was still behind the door as her best friend started to argue with her without acknowledging that we were still staring in her direction.

What caught me off guard so much was that their communication was a mixture of both Deftodiz and Japanese, which at the time was quite a pleasant surprise, and also quite a muddle when my brain was trying to dissect the two entirely different dialects that were either one of good Deftodiz and poor Japanese renditions, and another one that was it's looking glass doppelgänger. I over exaggerated; Akeno had a better grip of Deftodiz then I had.

"Cummon, Riri. You sound silly when you try to sound like your Onii-sama. And I wanted you to call me Akecchi. A-ke-cchi. You're the one who wanted to know more Japanese, but you keep changing your tones every time we go anywhere."

"T-That's not true. I don't Aken-"

"A-ke-cchi. A-ke-cchi."

There were a pair of hands that reached over and started lightly clapping Rias' cheeks, which were already read by being referred to by what she had considered to be an embarrassing rendition of her given name. In all respects, I will refrain from referring to them by their childhood nicknames in all forms except in speech where authenticity is still a vitality in accuracy to be afforded.

Having slapped her friend's hands away from her face, she protested back in retaliation, however her expressions were not one that was fuelled in anger, but still caught in what I would view as a spoiled child's temperament when they don't get the way they desired.

"Don't make me say it. N-not in front of other people, ok."

"Ara ara Ufufu, are you embarrassed, Riri?"

"N-no. I just don't think that . . ."

"Riri?"

"I-It's nothing. Just drop it ok."

"Only if you get my name right; A-ke-"

"Akecchi. Akecchi Akecchi Akecchi! Happy now?"

"Very, Riri."

It was about time the two older girls finally realise they had been stuck within their own conversation whilst ignoring the other two kouhais that had been and still were occupying the room, whom were sitting on the floor where they had always been and staring up at them as they argued like litt-, like children.

When they had finally stopped, Rias, red in the face as much as her hair was, looked upon Ravel who then allowed the two of them to enter the room. As Rias stepped inside, Akeno followed behind her, and in spite of how confident and fun loving she had sounded from behind the door, the moment she stepped into the room, her entire mood seemed to change. It wasn't a bad change, but more like she became nervous of the situation.

If I recall correctly, she was ten just as I was when Rias picked her up, or so I have heard. From what else that seemed to spread among the gossips of the Underworld, may the Maou forgive my transgressions for falling prey to their endless whispers, was that she had been hunted by her own family simply because she was considered a disgrace. For what, I do not know even today, by choice.

I pried no further into the matter for the sake of preserving her past as a closed door rather than one that has been barred behind a shoddy locking system. As we were both reincarnated devils at the time I would come to learn of these rumours, I felt it most inappropriate to be learning of her previous life's origins whether they be based upon truth or not. As said in our vows and in the reincarnation ritual, our old lives are gone and our new lives was what we lived for, and for our Kings to whom we owed our allegiances to and our hopes and dreams with them. The past should not matter when the future is calling for us to live for the present.

I should point out that neither of us were reincarnated devils at the time of our meeting. In devil society, a high-class devil may only receive his or her pieces on their thirteenth birthdays and any day after that if they so wish, but even then they would only become adults on their eighteenths. There were some special exceptions to the rules, but reservations for such reasons would warrant a really desperate means and it would have to be processed with both the Four Great Satans and with the Ten Great Kings of Old as well.

I'll explain this better the next time this comes up.

Unlike how Rias was dressed, Akeno wore her ebony hair loose over a primarily crimson red kimono with white on the folds at the edges around the cuffs, the bottom that reached just below her ankle line, which was luckily higher due to her choice in wearing a pair of traditional wooden geta as footwear for the day, and also in the insides which blended in with her lighter skin tone. All of which was neatly tied together by an orange obi that wrapped around the middle of her figure which showed off a small hourglass figure starting to take shape.

"P-P-pardon, for the intrushion, I am Himejima Akeno."

Like me, she had a little trouble with the language, but she seemed more proficient that I did, which is why I have only made one deliberate spelling mistake in her words thus far.

Following sooth with her master as she had done before, she bowed in polite fashion, able to go to the more appropriate 45-degrees that Rias had failed to accomplish in her current state of attire.

"Yo're Japaniise?"

Whether it was how my appearance looked, or whether my failed attempt at pronouncing Deftodiz with my natural accent gave me away, the very notion that I was in the room and was from the same country of origin as her seemed to bring her out of her shell quicker than expected.

A little too quickly I should add before I fail to, as I would later somewhat come to regret the slightest.

Covering her mouth briefly as she masked her gasp behind a flat palm, she pulled it away to reveal a smile that then folded into a cheerfully squinting face as it tilted sideways to the left as she replied back to my question.

"Oh, you're Japanese too. _Ara Ara_. _Nante gūzen, kouhai-kun?_ "

( _"Ara ara. What are the chances, kouhai-kun?"_ )

" _Watashi wa onajiyōni odoroite imasu, Ake-neesan."_

( _"I'm just as surprised, Ake-neesan."_ )

" _Ufufu, Watashi wa tōzen shitte iru. Watashi wa Tōnishi shusshindesu. Anata mo?_ "

( _"Ufufu, Oh course, I knew I would be. I was born in Tonishi. What about you?"_ )

" _Kuoh,_ _watashi ga umareta basho_."

( _"Kuoh is where I was from."_ )

This in all honesty may have gone on for hours since I had been put on a ban on speaking fluent Japanese to anyone as part of mastering Deftodiz as a fluent tongue. Which reminds me, this was going to bite back at me later during my next lesson.

"I know what you both are saying remember."

"Me too. Don't ignore me either."

"Ufufu. Sorry for making you feel unwanted, Riri."

Having completely forgotten the presence of both our respective patrons, we both turned our heads in embarrassment. Well I least that's how I felt. Akeno may have acted like this was a big joke, but for me, I was only realising just how inconsiderate I was behaving by ignoring her the second Akeno had entered the room.

"Gome-. *ahem* Hoyfesys ty, Ravel."

After having given my apologies to Ravel, she threw her hands up in the air.

"Yay. You said it right."

I raised my eyebrows at the realisation, as the flabbergasted expression of relief washed over Ravel's face. While it may have looked like a simple enough word, pronouncing 'hoi-fe-sis ti' turned out to have its own difficulties, when the 'Y's were concerned, as they had more of an emphasis than a regular 'I' does, which meant I would mispronounce them 'yi's or 'ya's, or something similar to that, and it still took time to not put so much 'breath', as they explained to me, on the last consonants that it would sound like I'm hissing rather than speaking.

"Nou misteikes?"

I asked for verification, to which she shook her head in an excited fashion that tossed her ringlets across her face several times over.

"No mistakes. You won't believe how happy it makes me. In another few weeks you could be so fluent that no one will even know that you didn't grow up here."

"I think that it will teike more laike a fyuuw munths biifore I get tha hang of this."

I replied whilst scratching the back of my head in embarrassment. I could imagine that I would probably slightly flushed as a result of the praise, but it was just a sign of how infectious her sincere approval was for me, and still is today.

Though I must add that I do not get as easily red in the face for some small matters like these, anymore.

"So, why are you here, if I may ask that is?"

As Ravel asked the crimson and ebony haired girls respectively, it was the former who answered her.

"My Onii-sama and Otou-sama are here to talk to Lord and Lady Phenex, but I don't know what it is. Since Sona was busy today, and Seek-chan is caught in one of her 'Mecha-thons', thus I asked if I could come too, and then Akecchi also wanted to come, so then we all started to come here, but then we got bored and started exploring and that's when we found you too."

Just to cut in here, I want to affirm that now with hindsight that for a twelve year old, she was absolutely clueless that the meeting that had been arranged had been for an open discussion and bout the possibility that would eventually lead to her engagement to Riser.

Remember how I said that thirteen was the age when you were allowed to take your evil pieces; well thirteen is also the age when pre-marital engagements were also made in advance, and then at eighteen was when you were supposed to get married, or at least that was how the system was traditionally implemented.

"Um, . . . I'm sorry, but I forgot to ask for your names."

It was about this time that we realised that neither Rias nor Akeno had any clue as to who we were. They may have been able to identify Ravel as a member of the House of Phenex based on her appearance alone, since that was a trait shared by all of her siblings, and that I was Japanese. But that was all that they really knew of the two of us.

I was about to speak, when I was interrupted by my own internal thoughts. I exaggerate, I meant to say that Ddraig cut me off before I could even speak.

'[Proceed with caution.]'

It was a simple message, but it wasn't most informative of ones he could have delivered to me. Despite that these two girls being relatively harmless, Ddraig's words to exercise caution when treading upon a disillusioned layer of thin ice was not misguided by any means. Stating our names might invite unwanted attention should either of them speak of today to anyone else, which may then start inciting curious eyes and ears to fall upon us.

Again, I will explain this further when it comes up at a more important time.

"Ise. Yuu can coll mii Ise if yuu wuuld laike."

I was quick to think on my feet, but I needed to be smart with words; The first name that came to my head that was familiar to me was 'Ise', which was the nickname Irina had once called me before he had moved away years ago. 'Ise' was like a shorter way of saying my name, but fit nice and snuggily before honorifics that it made sense.

In addition, it would be a name that I could remember in reference to me when called out without needing to continuously assert the name into my memories just for this evening.

Maybe it wasn't in my best interest to have talked on Ravel's behalf, but at the flick of the moment, I was already in my stride, and stopping my brain from working at this pace abruptly may cause a serious malfunction now to this delicate situation.

Overdramatic I may have been, but the inexperienced me needed to learn to handle these forms of dilemmas with decorum as to avoid any unnecessary pursuits to spring up at an unfavourable moment.

"And this is . . . uh, Rei-chan."

"R-R-Rei . . .-ch-chan?"

In an unexpected twist, Ravel went pinkish in the cheeks after I had designated a nickname for her. Maybe it was the fact that it was sprung up on her at a moment's notice that caught her off-guard, or maybe it was because she may have found the name a little embarrassing.

That was what the eleven year old who was myself thought at the time were the only two possible answers to this quite unanticipated erythrotic reaction.

"Oh. Yuu doun't laike it? I'm sorry."

"N-n-n-n-n-n-no, I-I-I really like it. But, I-I never had a nickname before, so . . . when you started calling me Rei-chan, I, um . . . y-y-y-"

Struggling between casually talking towards me, and remaining in formal composure in the presence of our two guests, she started making an incompunctuous attempt in explaining herself. I am ashamed not to say aloud that I did find this side of my Lady very sweet, maybe even cute.

Her words, most unfortunately, started something that none of us would be able to control from this point on. No matter how hard we tried to avoid an escalation, the outcome was inevitable to a certain degree of believability.

"Ara ara, Ise-kun is a heart breaker already."

"K . . . K . . ."

The already strawberry coloured Ravel went cherry after being. I on the other hand was caught in the prepubescent conundrum, in which I was inherently dense so to speak on what it was that was being insisted. As I continued to stare back between the teasing one-sama and the furiously blushing imouto, it was Rias who attempted to quell the situation before it got out of hand.

"Akecchi, don't make fun of Ise-bou. He's too young to understand what you're meaning to imply."

She failed however. She just managed to stoke a strong fire and turn it into a forest fire by blowing upon it. As if she was fully aware of what the outcome of this situation would be leading to, the young yamato nadeshiko, who had still been in her shell just mere moments before, crawled around the table laughing softly as she did until she was directly behind me.

I wish I could have said that I knew best and started to move away as she came near, but my obliviousness failed me in this situation. I did very little to avoid this, not even shifting slightly to the side she wasn't predatorily sneaking from my blind spots.

"Don't be a spoil-spoil, Riri. Can't I have my fun with my adorable little kohai from my home country?"

Almost pouncing from behind, she pressed her chest into my back, wrapping her arms over my shoulders whilst simultaneously rubbing her cheek against the back of my head.

While such a remark I am about to make is not an appropriate part of this topic at hand, I feel it necessary to point out that despite only being twelve years old at the time of this meeting, Akeno was already developing sizeably for a young lady of her age. Quicker than most girls would be the best description.

The room started feeling a little warmer than usual, as my lady was unfortunately losing her soft façade after so much embarrassment, and now with this display of open actions that simply wasn't done in high devil society. Maybe it was anger, maybe it was exasperation. Or it all could have been a lot of emotions that were unnaturally trying to bond together that was causing such a

"D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-"

"Rei-chan?"

I sometimes wish I could have clicked in tune to the situation in the room. Amongst the light echoes of laughter ringing through the back of my head and inside my left arm, I experienced something that was quite unnatural for myself even after having spent so long in this land of true fantasy come to life, this situation caused an unnatural of its own; my first real precipitated epistaxis.

. . . *ahem*, a nosebleed.

Truly, truly. I should have clicked something by now.

I wish I could say that Rias was able to diffuse the situation before it got wildly out of hand for the four of us. But the twelve year old devil heiress couldn't control the floodgates in the middle of a monsoon. Even whilst standing and professing her disposition towards her actions, it was only

"Akeno. This kind of behaviour would besmirch the Noble House of Gremory's reputation if you were to act like this as an officiated servant. That is something that I cannot tolerate for so long, even from you. You need to stop this before we both get into trouble for this."

"But, I am not yet am I. So that means I can still have my fun."

And with that, she bit my left ear in a playful manner.

I don't know what to call the phenomena, but it felt like everything drowned into a single heartbeat that shook over the room and everything went inversal at the shortest of seconds, and it all was shrouded in a frame of neon cyan and black as it shuddered before releasing itself back into reality.

It was just like that time with Zemele, when she was analysing by {Boosted Gear} and she felt a strong reaction to it. For the experienced high-class devil like Lord Rayzem's wife, it was merely a slight shock, like maybe an unexpected exposure to static electricity.

Imagine how strong it was for the still mortal Akeno, who wasn't even expecting something like this to backfire unto her. The worst part was that the instant it rattled her soul, every muscle in her body contracted at once, especially the arms that had coiled across my neck, and her teeth that were affixed unto my ear.

The bite down was the worst part of that experience for me, more so than the brief moment when my windpipe was being strangled in a vice, as her teeth cut through the skin the slightest and caused pain throughout my hearing receptors, as blood started running freely from it. I was lucky that the experience didn't cause her to bite cleanly though the tissue.

After the episode, she went limp and fell unto her back, while I reached for my ear as the pain finally reached my receptors in my brain. It wasn't that it was like I had broken a bone or anything serious, but that it was so sharp and so sudden that it completely overloaded my thought processes at the time.

"Akecchi!"

"Issei!"

As our future masters rushed to our sides at the sight of our momentary . . . I can't explain what it must have looked like to them, other than like something must have passed through the two of us like an electrical current that caused that reactionary response which inflicted damage upon my ear. I still do not think I could be the best person to interpret how the situation must have appeared from a third person's perspective.

All that I knew, was that the shock had been from Ddraig. It wasn't intentional, but I knew that in some confuddlement in the situation, my Sacred Gear reacted to something with caused this backlash in power at the exact point when she dug her mouth onto my ear.

As I clutched to my ear, whilst Ravel attempted to do her best as stopping the bleeding with magic, I heard Ddraig whisper to me again.

'[Don't react, Partner. Remember our promise.]'

Ddraig was speaking truthful, and this actually related back to the point I was making earlier that I had promised to enlighten you on later into the story; In spite of what situation that may appear before me, my identity, abilities, and most importantly, my position as the [Sekiryuutei], mustn't become public knowledge.

From what I would later become aware of, it was based around the uncertainty of where the House of Phenex would be siding with in the political game as the Underworld was under the heaviest of tensions between factions ever since the conclusion of the 'Xyddit Rywyffot' ( _The War in the Underworld_ ) between the Old Satan Faction and the Anti-Satan Faction. Despite being an overall victory for the Anti-Satans, there is tensions now between the New Satans and the Old Kings for governance in the Underworld of which now the remaining clans of the Seventy-Two Pillars are now choosing sides, and even some of the powerful Extra Demons are being made to form close ties with one side or the other, but never to both.

To try to parlay with both sides is to gravely insult all negotiating parties as a whole, and to alienate your own person and by extension your own connections. Thus it is a taboo primarily focused upon the most common of senses.

As the wielder of a Longinus, I have the potential to grow at an exponential rate that would far surpass the normal growth of any human, and trump the powers granted from birth to any magic born sapiens like angels or devils. Not to mention that the name itself is reminder to all who speak its name that this Sacred Gear has killed a being of god-class power before. A Longinus doesn't become known as a Longinus until it has fulfilled the reoccurring story and slays a god.

Even if it was just Rias and Akeno now, saying anything now would compromise this situation even more.

It was the sole reason that Ddraig had been keeping himself quiet up until now and only speaking for short amounts of time, apart from my own lack of control of my own Sacred Gear. If Ddraig started making too much of a fuss and woke up fully, then the draconic aura he unconsciously emits would then start leaking. While I was doubtful someone as young as Rias would be able to detect it as something different to devilish aura, the change in power would have caught her attention quite quickly I would imagine it.

This would have been so good if no outside adult came to this room. But I just unintentionally jinxed myself whilst I was thinking of it.

"Akeno, are you feeling alright? Do I need to get my father here? Or my brother?"

Having shed all her attempts as Japanese, which meant she thought of this as a serious situation, Rias was lucky that this wasn't one of those times to call for an emergency. Though Akeno had managed to sit herself up, and there were no outlasting damages on her person as far as I could tell, she was insistent on knowing what had happened.

"I'm fine, Riri. I just . . . lost myself there for a second."

She smacked her lips, having just noticed the blood on her tongue as she turned her head and saw me clutching tightly to my ear as Ravel's magic circles continued to do their work on my open wound.

"Oh my. I'm so sorry Ise-kun. Please, forgive me."

I was glad that she didn't pay too much attention into what had just erupted, but I was also a little preoccupied with the injury on my own person. But still, I did appreciate her sincere gesture of apologies to me.

"Nou niid, Akecchi. I-ch-ch-ch. If I caan't handle a simple cut laike this, then there's nou weiy I culd bii a knai-, Hiii-ch-ch!"

The process of fixing my ear required something a kin to the feeling of burning my skin back a new like the Phenex's {Regeneration} ability. Due to this predicament, I was feeling without frasmotism for a short while before I could sit comfortably still again.

Then, we were interrupted again. But this time, it was the definitive end to our playdate, when a voice called out from the halls.

"Ria-chan."

As Rias turned her head in surprise.

"Onii-sama!"

As his name was called, Rias' older brother, Sirzech Lucifer entered through to door way. Coloured the same crimson red hair that reached to his shoulders, and blue eyes that shone like a pair of brilliant topazes. It was hard to believe that this man who looked to be in his early twenties was even older than Lord Ruval was. Dressed in his traditional ornament robes in shades of various golds, silvers, blacks and of course reds, with large shoulder guards the protruded outwards like three layers of sharp helms that have been cut from their owners and worn as battle trophies upon his person.

If only he could have acted the part as a true Satan, then I wouldn't have to cringe at his attempt to mingle a crude formulation of Deftodiz, Archaic Japanese and what I presume was more modern Japanese, but it didn't sound too efficient as a real form of communication. It was indeed contrafibular just to listen to it.

"Ah, there you both are. Why would you make your Onii-sama worried? Why must Ria-tan upset me so? Don't you love your Onii-sama, Ria-tan?"

To say that Rias Gremory went red would be an understatement. From her position, she was scarlet, tomato and rouge in the face, and with all the colour that had started running to her face, it was also starting to leak out a little around her body. In the same fashion, might I include, that heat naturally rolled off of my Lady Ravel whenever her composure is compromised.

I did say that her emotions were an open bottle did I not. And her control of her {Power of Destruction} was still unstable. Not that her brother didn't continue to push her buttons further.

"Stop talking like that, Onii-sama. You're embarrassing me."

"But Ria-tan, my precious imouto, why must you act this way to your Onii-sama. Oniisama only wants to capture every moment and every expression of Ria-tan's life. What happened to the imouto Ria-tan when she couldn't get enough of her Onii-sama that she used to pull at his ankles begging for him to give Ria-tan the attention she wanted. Why must you have grown to despise your Onii-sama so Rita-tan?"

"I'll tell on you to Grayfia-neesama."

I have mentioned several times where certain instances have caused the world to just go to silence. Well, this was one of the top five moments in my life where the silence was just so unnatural that it wasn't something that one could even make the necessary precautions for.

I wish to point out that I have heavily abridged the entirety of their . . . sibling talks. I found that the full discussion to be unanaspeptic and so believed that it would be easier just to rearrange the fragments of chaos into the simplest sentences that I could make out of their violent exchange of words.

It was no wonder the Maou Lucifer was the least bit afraid of his wife, Grayfia Lucifuge, who was notorious as the [Strongest Queen] in the Underworld. It makes sense when your nickname is the [Silver-haired Queen of Annihilation]. From what little I knew of her, she was not just his Queen, but also his wife, and the mother of their son, Millicas Gremory. At the time, I wouldn't know just how scary she could be, not that even today I would like to find out just what makes a super devil such as him cower at the sound of her name.

It was probably for the reason she wasn't around that he felt that he was loose to act in whatever decorum he desired to.

I will refrain myself from making any direct insults towards one of the Maou in the name of peace and stability. But I would like to make a one critical judgement upon his person; he has a serious affliction with sister-complex.

At the sound of his wife's name being used as a tool of blackmail, it would have appeared that the bicentenary devil king was able make himself act more like the 'Prince of Darkness' you would expect to be seeing from the great king of the Underworld.

Or at the very least he was able be more civil and professional when acting in front of an audience of spectators that were not expecting such childish display from the once they call the [Crimson Satan]. To be fair though, the only real Maou who took his job seriously all the time from what I would later learn was the current Maou Beelzebub, whilst his comrades had found other means to keep them occupied at times when they were not working.

"*ahem* Very well then. Rias, Akeno, our business with Lord Phenex has concluded. Father is downstairs ready for us to leave."

"Ok, Onii-sama."

"Hai, Sirzechs-sama."

As the two of them stood up and proceeded to leave, with some unfathomable comedy from Rias as she attempted to orthostate only to then recall that her own motions were rather limits in the outfit she was wearing, prompting Akeno to grab her by both her arms to pull her to her feet.

Her brother found it to be a joy, but cursed under his breath that he had left any form of recording systems at home. It wasn't long after that both girls said their goodbyes before leaving the room.

"Bye-bye, Ise-kun. Rei-chan. I enjoyed today thanks to you two. It was . . . eventful."

"As did I. Sore dewa ( _Goodbye_ ), Ise-kun and Rei-chan. Hope you two amend your relationship together. Ufufu."

Ravel did the most ladylike gesture she could do in this situation, and that was to open the nearest book in front of her and hide the lower half of her face, like a noblewoman would do with a fan in hand when the company of others. Perhaps if the Maou Lucifer wasn't in the room, she may have reacted in a normal manner to a girl of her age. Or like how she was when it was just the four of us alone in this room.

The last thing either of us saw, was the Great Devil Lucifer's eyes continue to fixate on me before the door closed behind them.

It wasn't a scary stare, but the look on his eyes as they followed me until he was gone was haunting. Like he was staring through me and deep into my soul. The after image of deep cerulean blue still affixed in my mind as Ddraig gave his own verdict on this new predicament.

'[This might be a problem, partner.]'

'Why? Why would Lucifer-sama be a problem?'

'[He is not the problem, it's the fact _he found you_ that's the problem. While his younger sister and her friend may not have been able to distinguish your power from a normal devil, you can bet that the more experienced Maou Lucifer was able to detect my presence all over you just from being in close proximity.]'

Ddraig was right to be worried. Though I knew little of the Maou Lucifer at the time, he had a reputation that preceded him and there many legends and tales about his prowess and strength in battle, as well as his collection of legendary beings in his peerage. Including himself and his wife who was his Queen, he also had the Legendary Captain of the 1st Unit of the Shinsengumi, Okita Souji as his Knight of Two, the Occult Archmagician of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, MacGregor Mathers as his Bishop of Two. The [Glowing Fish of the Deep Sea] also known as Bahamut as his Rook, with the Clone of the King of the Eldjötnar ( _Fire_ Giants) of Muspelheim, Surtr Second as his Mutation Rook. The descendant of the Geatish Dragon Slayer of Nordic Lore, also called Beowulf as his Pawn of Four, and also one of the Ancient Qillins of China named Enku as his other Pawn of Four. To say that he had no bite would be more than a little misconception; it was a bite that would destroy you ten thousand times over and then another.

'[I know little of this new Lucifer, but the one that helped to seal me in this Sacred Gear was ambitious and desired power if it was within his control in order to defeat his enemies. He was the Devil. But this newcomer is something much more powerful that he's transcended the concept of devilkind.]'

Hearing Ddraig speak highly of anyone who is not a dragon was rare, and even to then speak of them as a monster was rarer still. Transcended devilkind? The very notion that an already powerful being could be something far worse that what he was born to be alluded me. The concept wasn't a new idea, but it was one that was wrought with questions about how high they could climb in the levels of power, or would they be able to stop ascending when even managing to reach the pinnacle of power amongst the top ten strongest beings in the universe.

It was no wonder that the Ant-Satans won an all round victory against their Old Faction counterparts if they had a true monster like Maou Sirzechs on their frountlines. With both the {Power of Destruction} of the Bael Clan that can destroy any and all that are struck by its strength, and the {Formulaic Enchantment} of the Gremory Clan which allows a greater proficiency in using even the strongest and most complex of magics like it was second nature, I don't think there could truly be a word to describe what kind of being the current Maou Lucifer was.

'I don't understand.'

'[One of these days Partner, you will. Trust me, you will.]'

After that, Ddraig fell back into slumber to conserve what little of his strength he could muster while stuck in an eleven year old boy's body with next to no magic proficiency what so ever. I felt bad for Ddraig being trapped in such a state, but for now there was little I could do for him.

Besides, this endless need to reserve his power wouldn't be for an eternity. I promised Ravel that I would be the [Red Dragon Emperor] I was destined to be, but I would never reach that goal without my other half being at full strength. After all, it was Ddraig's title rather than mine, since I was the [Sekiryuutei].

Snapping back to her thoughts as she put her book down. Though her face was still a little flushed, she had given up on trying to hide it and was now focused on returning to my studies.

"Right then, Issei. We've had a long enough break. It's time to return to language studies. This time, we'll go for the declensions in nouns next."

"Yes, Ravel."

". . . Rei-chan."

"Sorrii?"

"I-I, I wouldn't mind it, if you wanted to call me Rei-chan again. It's not that I don't want to let everyone else know, but if you could keep saying it in private, then I would be ok with that. But, I-I won't force you to, if you don't want to that is."

Coughing slightly, she went on to explain to me about her reasoning for replying how she did. I admit to say that it was adorable watching her trying to understand if she should be acting more tsun or dere when she was describing her decision to me. I didn't mind at all, it made me happy that she didn't hate the name I chose for her, nor was she just being polite earlier as not to cause an intentional scene in front other guests. I just smiled back as I replied to her request.

"I undastand, Rei-chan."

And so would begin another hours' worth of lessons. And unbeknownst to me was the punishment awaiting me for breaking my promise to refute from speaking full sentences worth of Japanese until I was proficient in Deftodiz. I'm not allowed to say what my punishment was, but I will say that it was the last promise I would be breaking in a good long while.

It wouldn't be years since we would all meet again, but by then it was difficult for them to remember either of us. Riri and Akecchi probably would never have dreamed of meeting either Ise-kun or Rei-chan ever again. But sure enough, this was never meant to be our one and only time we would cross paths by sheer coincidence. The only difference between the two 'first' meetings was that it was not always going to be so friendly and care free as it had been when we were all still children without predetermined destinies lined up within our sights.

* * *

 _The Red-haired Princess_

 _And the teasing Onee-san._

 _Our paths had been crossed._

 _A meeting of chance,_

 _That was a cruel fate to hang_

 _Above our faces._

 _If only days like these_

 _Could have last before the change_

 _From friends into foes._

* * *

 **Omake IV: Contrasts and Contrafibularities**

 **Alek:** (singing to himself) _. . . Guess who's back . . . back again-_

 **Issei:** (covering his own ears, pulls out the headphones Alek is wearing) Please don't sing. Not even if you're feeling happy like this.

 **Alek:** (fake pout) Spoil sport. (puts away the headphones) Ok, we shall get started. I first want to say that to all of those people getting annoyed with the 'mispronounciations' of words and use of (" _this"_ ) to explain what "swez" means, etc. Well, this will be the last time full sentences like these will come up so rejoice and have come cake.

 **Ravel:** (pondering) Was that all you wanted people to get cake for?

 **Alek:** Well, no; the real reason was because now we are celebrating 100 favourites and 100 follows!

 **Ravel:** (confused) . . . But, that was last week. You even said it in your last chapter.

 **Alek:** Yes, well I am aware and yes, I did mention it last chapter, but this weeks omake will be a party for the four of us!

 **Issei:** (excited) What kind of party?

 **Alek:** The one where nothing is different except we now have cake and presents. Horray!

 **Issei:** (deadpanned) _You just like messing with my emotions don't you?_

 **Ravel:** (noticing something) Four? But I thought Ddraig wasn't coming this week. He never even woke up the whole week we were reading through the fan translations. (inner monologue) _Speaking of which, why do we need translations in order to read the Light Novels? Issei's Japanese, and I am also fluent in the language._ (sighs) Nevermind then.

 **Alek:** (thumbs up) Correct Ravel. Ok, so our guest for this weeks omake is someone who appeared in this chapter. After much debate, I decided to go with the obvious choice here.

 **Issei:** (angry) Oi! You're not going drop her from the sky like you did us, are you?

 **Alek:** (innocent hands raised up) Relax, _that was just to humour myself_.

 **Ravel:** (slightly inflaming) Humour yourself?

 **Alek:** W-what I meant to say was; I have now perfected entry into this pocket universe, so we won't have a mishap like that again. (clearing his throat) Without further adieu, our guest this week is the Heiress of the Dukes of Gremory, the [Crimson Ruin Princess] herself; Rias Gremory!

 **Rias:** (appears surrounded in red with a large frown) . . .

 **Alek:** (noticing the bad aura in the room) . . . Um, Rias. Why do you look at me like I'm a stone that got caught in your shoe.

 **Rias:** (crossing her arms) It's because I don't agree with what you are doing with my prize servant and my former-kouhai; you do remember that he is my Pawn and that make me the master of his soul. Taking him without my permission, and not even offering anything in compensation is in violation of the rules put in place for devil contracts. Plus I should add that summoning Ravel also is highly costly and only those of , but judging from how long they've been here, and how not even the higher ups could finds this place, I guess there's nothing I can do to stop this going on, is there?

 **Issei:** (anime tears) R-Ri~as.

 **Alek:** I'm glad we understand each other here. So, Rias, glad you could make it here.

 **Rias:** How else could I have stopped you?

 **Ravel:** That's a fair point. Considering none of us know how on earth you doing this.

 **Rias:** (thinking) Hmm, this actually sort of reminds me of the Sacred Gear, {Dreamlike Curse}. It's Balance Breaker: [Palaselene Utopia] had an ability like this.

 **Alek:** (to the audience) For those of you who don't know about this, read the short story: " **Rias in Wonderland** ". It is available in English Translations. Enjoy. (continuing) On to the Reviews: First off-

 **Ravel:** (shouting) HOLD UP!

 **Alek:** (annoyed) What?

 **Ravel:** Before we start, I am taking this one from **User:Dragon_Rider_66**. (to the user while starting to ignite slowly) _You know why this is happening_.

 **Rias** : (confused) Why is this such a big deal to her?

 **Alek:** It's best not to ask.

 **Issei:** (shivering in fear) . . . eh-hehehe . . .

 **Rias:** (concerned) Issei?

 **Alek:** (shaking his head) Don't ask.

 **Ravel:** (opening up the present from **'66'** ) Right then, so **'66'** has sent . . . (stunned) a pie?

 **Alek:** Pie?

 **Issei:** Who's it for?

 **Ravel:** (reading the note) _For the-_ (shocked, and speaks no more) Actually, it's for Issei.

 **Issei:** (reads the notes) . . . Oh! **'66'** says that this pie is my gift to Alek-sama, . . . for, cele- . . . -brating over 50 reviews! Congratulations Author-san!

 **Ravel and Rias** : (both now informed about what's going on) Congratulations!

 **Alek:** (tears in his eyes) Oh, thank you. Thank you, all of you. (sniffing and wiping his nose) I-I don't know what to say. (stomach rumbles with curiosity) What flavour is it?

 **Issei:** (thinking on the spot) . . . um, I-I-It's . . . P-Pie . . . flavour?

 **Alek:** (pauses for a while with a neutral face) . . . O~oh. (accepts the pie from Issei) Thank you very much.

 **Issei:** (Wiping his brow) _Thank god there's Wifi in here, or else I never would have seen that YouTube clip, **ASDF Movie 2**. It was just something on the spot. _ (notices something int he bottom of the box) He~llo (opens the bottom, eyes widen and then sneaks away from the scene with a large half-smile, half-scared expression).

 **Alek:** (Not noticing Issei leave as he observed the pie) What's this candle in here for (eyes widen) No way! He remembered my birthday! Oh, **'66'** , you've outdone yourself here. Ravel, could you give me a light if you please?

 **Ravel:** (aware of the pie's potential) Of course Author-san. (snaps her fingers and a spark lights the "wick"/fuse) I have an idea; how about you go into the kitchen and grab a fork so you can eat it once the _candle_ burns out?

 **Alek:** I'll do just that. (walks away to get a fork)

 **Rias:** (waits a while)Does this place have a kitchen?

 **Ravel:** If it does, then I have never visited it. _I don't even think it's his birthday either._ (back to reviews) Oh, Rias-senpai; are you caught up with the story, or do I need to explain it over for you?

 **Rias:** (shaking her head) No thank you. I am . . . aware of what the story is about. While I can't say I concede to the idea that-

*BANG*SPLAT*

 **RaveL:** And that was the surprise pie from **'66'**. Thank you for some well needed payback. (heating up slightly) _And remembering your place from last weeks "gift"_.

 **Rias:** (confused) What happened last week?

 **Ravel:** (cooling down, whilst pulling a false smile) Oh, nevermind that.

 **Alek:** (far off screen, in the "kitchen") Aww man! It's Banoffee flavour!

 **Ravel:** That's what he's concerned about? (shrugs and carries on) The rest of **'66's** message notes that the Author made a mistake about the {Boosted Gear}, that the power boosts every ten  seconds, not minutes.

 **Alek:** (far off screen) I did that on purpose!

 **Ravel:** You can't just make stuff up to cover yourself! Fanfiction doesn't work like that for everything! (curious) Where are you now?

 **Alek:** (far off screen) I'm taking a shower! I have Banoffee Pie all in my clothes and my hair!

 **Rias:** (shrugs) Guess we'll have to do the rest without him for a while, won't we, Ravel?

 **Ravel:** Hai, Rias-former buchou! (opens the review from **User:ferodile** ) Ok, this users asks: " _Is ravel going to be a tsundere or is that going to change and will issei still have his oppai dragon show._ " (stares at **fero** ) I have no idea what you're talking about; I am Issei's manager and [Bishop] now. I have nothing but respect for Ise-senpai. It's not . . . (hesitates slightly) I-it's . . n-n- . . .

 **Rias:** (trying to paccify the situation) I think it's best we leave that little discussion for another time. (curious) Hmm, this seems like something to ask Alek-sama about.

 **Alek:** (reappears, slightly wet) I'm back!

 **Rias:** That was a quick shower.

 **Alek:** Well I was just washing Banoffe Pie out of my hair and I didn't need to do thorough clean of myself. (Rias and Ravel step away slightly) . . . Haha, very funny. So what was the questions again?

 **Rias:** "Will Ravel still be Tsundere?" and "Will there be Oppai Dragon?" (notices Ravel's blushing) Don't be like that, it's obvious the real you has feelings for Issei. All the girls do. (slightly glowing red) All . . . The . . . Girls . . . Do.

 **Alek:** (steps a way a little) Ok, **Ferodile** ; 1. No and yes is my answer, because the situation is complicated with her being a High-class and he being Low-class, and then pure-blood - reincarnated, childhood friendships. It's complicated how to say their stances to each other will be during this fic, but this is their ship I am sailing, and I promise this arc will be satisfactory to the shippers at the end.

 **Ravel:** (flustered) W-w-w-well, if that's what the Author has to say, then there's no point in questioning it. None of us can stop it, so we just have to let it be.

 **Alek:** . . . um, ok? _I am definitely sure my OOC Ravel is bleeding through somewhere, but I can't find where._ (moving along) 2. It's quite possible; Rayzem (the second son who I named) is a TV producer, so there is the possibility that Oppai Dragon may come about, but not until the end of the second arc though, so it will be sometime.

 **Rias:** (glowing more red) Oh? And do you expect either me or Ravel-chan to be having our breasts poked in order for this dream to come into fruition?

 **Ravel:** (starting to inflame) Yes. Tell us, Author-san. Which one of us are you planning to be the [Switch Princess]?

 **Alek:** (shaking at the sight of two High-class devils maximizing their powers) . . . _Damn, why did I have to put anime rules in this universe?_ (Realises something) Um, where's Issei?

 **Ravel and Rias:** (power down) Huh?

 **Alek:** Wasn't he with you?

 **Ravel:** I though he was with you?

 **Rias:** (sighs) I'll go look for him. You two finish the reviews while I'm gone. (leaves to find Issei)

 **Alek:** _This is not going to end well._ (back to **Ferodile** ) Oh, he got you a gift, Ravel.

 **Ravel:** (opens the box, and instantly goes red) . . . H-huh? (pulls out a red cheerleaders outfit) . . . g-g-g-g

 **Alek:** (reads the message) " _A box full of sexy cosplay items she can try and use on issei_ " (clenches fist) That lucky bastard. Now I want to punch him like all the guys do.

 **Ravel:** (quickly hides the box) M-M-move on!

 **Alek:** (snaps back) Oh, right. (clears throat and reads the review from **User:War historian** ) Wow, very enthusiastic. Best leave that out of harms way. (reads the review from **User:Triplesquidge** ) Thank you, I might take you up on that offer. (reviewer from **User:RedSS** ) O~oh. I'll crack this open later. _But I want to check for any nasty surprises before then_. (reads review from **Guest** ) Oh, I didn't know that's what 'Zemele' meant. I just used the name of a Thraco-Phrygian goddess of the same name that I liked the sound of. And lastly this one from **User:Thus dud** , who actually has another question: " _I kinda want to know the extent of Issei's ability._ " (clears his throat) Well Dud, you're in luck, because this is the purpose of my story building; by the time Issei fights Rias' team directly as in the prologue he has already achieved Balance Breaker, and if you read the prologue carefully, you'll notice some unexpected growth this early in the story. Something "normal pawns promoting". Look out for when it comes. (winks confidently)

 **Ravel:** _You realise he can't really see that?_ (picks up some pieces of paper) And here are the negative reviews. (looks at Alek) Don't worry, I won't read them out if they mention any _language_ problems. (picks ups **User:DrunkenFistNinja** 's review) " _. . ._ _a little long winded, but nothing too bad._ ", ok. ". . . awkward sentences. Not quite run on, but not quite right, either, . . . ". (contemplating) Hmm, I think he's right about proofreading.

 **Alek** : Well, I do try, but I have enough time worrying about other things as well like is this chapter going where I need to? is it long enough? does it interest people? Plus, I did ask last week for a beta reader, but so far

 **Ravel:** Now you're just being pushy. You can't just expect people to instantly sign up when they just want to read. It's so uncouth of you to expect any of them to do  your work for you.

 **Alek:** (sighs) You're right. I should really consider hiring you as my manager, Ravel.

 **Ravel:** (shakes her head) Sorry, but I am already committed to a full time career with Issei-senpai. I've already got him book for then next decade and it's still building up as we speak. (narrows her eyes) _Especially since we had to cancel so many due to you keeping us prisoner here._ (reads the review from **User:LordGhostStriker** ) . . . um? " _It's funny how DxD harem stories are the same shit with a different coat of brown. / And, that DxD single pairings are stories you know that can be shit but you will read it anyway because it's different shit._ " Is this even negative? Is it negative? Is he calling this shit? Is he not?

 **Alek:** (rereading over the review) . . . I don't know.

 **Ravel:** Anyways, last negative is from **User:warrof** , but it's mostly good; " _This chapter was kinda slog to get through... But enjoyable nonetheless._ " I think that's an acceptable response. Right then, now I wonder if Rias-san found Issei-senpai yet?

*CRASH*KABOOM* (red light flashes off screen)

 **Alek:** (staring at the lights in horror) How much do you want to bet **'66'** is responsible for this?

 **Ravel:** (shocked by the continued explosions and the sound of Issei's shrieks of pain) A mine of platinum and rhodium ores the size of Kyushu that you're correct.

 **Rias:** (returns with Issei by the collar, still glowing in red) I found him.

 **Issei:** (crying to himself, covered in bandages, bruises, cuts and swellings) . . . urhh. Why? I have a collection of porn at home under my bed that you didn't even touch, but when it's just a few photos you go ballistic on me.

 **Rias:** (glaring at him) Did you happen to mention that the photos were of Sona, Lady Serafall, and Sona's Rook Tsubasa?

 **Issei:** (shrinks) N-n-no.

 **Rias:** Then you realise that this is why you're being punished.

 **Issei:** (quietly to himself) _it's not like former Kaichou had much to admire anyways, neither did Satan-girl._

 **Alek:** (shaking his head with his hand on his brow) You really are the worst.

 **Ravel:** (angry) _Did I just hear that cat again?_

 **Alek:** (scared) N-no. It was just the wind. Right, now that the reviews are done, what should we discuss?

 **Issei:** (rubbing his wounds) I want to know more about the history you invented, and especially where you got the idea for it all.

 **Alek:** You mean the story that I wrote for Ravel's book.

 **Ravel:** Yes, I would also like to know where it came from.

 **Alek:** Well, it's actually a real story.

 **Issei:** (stunned) Huh?

 **Alek:** Yes; there is a legitimate story about Bael defeating the Sea Dragon Lotan. It's part of the story to explain the changing of the seasons. The only difference is that Bael and Hadad were considered the same being, because Bael is a title, and it comes from Semetic languages meaning "Lord", so Ba'al Hadad meant "Lord Hadad". It's also where Beelzebub comes from, which translates as "Lord of the Flies".

 **Rias:** So, what you're saying is that all the stuff that you wrote about as a history of our species is all true?

 **Alek:** (conflicted) . . . Well, no. I took a few creative liberties to merge the Ancient Canaan Mythology to the Abrahamic faiths traditional chronology. It helped that I was already using the Jewish Calendar to keep track of the timeline, so it meant that I could establish 5300 years ago as about the time when the Canaan Mythos died out and the start of the rule of Monotheism began.

 **Issei:** Hmm, well it must have taken a bit of time to work out. (thought of something) How about what you said about the Evil God Yahm eventually becoming God of the Bible. Is that true or a 'creative liberty?

 **Alek:** (putting on his "smart" glasses) It's not 100% confirmed facts, but a lot of research and theories have gone into detail and speculation that the God of the Sea Yahm (also spelt Yahw) may have evolved at a later date into Yahweh, which is the figure believed to be associated with God in the Torah, and thus the God of all the Abraham faiths. Jehovah and Allah are also linked to the same origin, but under different names. Plus it makes sense when you consider many factors around God of the Bible involve water; On the first day, God created Heaven and Earth, but the earth was formless and void, and the only thing below the heavens was water. The Flood, enough said about that. Even Jesus' ability to walk upon the water, turn it into wine, aid in catching an abundance of fish. It all makes quite the compelling argument even if you don't believe it.

 **Ravel:** (observant) Seems like a lot of speculations, but the early stuff does seem to make sense.

 **Alek:** I actually did this research for another fanfiction I was planning to write for the anime series " **Campione!** ". I had intended for my OC to kill the God Jehovah, so I did research into his origins outside of the bible, which lead me to some very interesting finds and links.

 **Issei:** (scratching his head) I've never heard of that series.

 **Alek:** (surprised) You haven't? I would recommend it, but unfortunately it only has one season with 12 episodes. But, you can find Volume 1-16 translated online, so it is worth looking for. (inner monologue) _Makes sense he doesn't know of it since the anime was made in 2012, whereas the LN chronology of DxD is still in early 2009 as of Volume 22. Even the Campione! LN's were only started in September 2008, while there was the whole Hero Faction and Qlippoth Arcs to contend with._ (remembering) Oh, I think that another reason you may like it is because much like how your Sacred Gear is a Longinus, and has the power to kill gods, the premise of the series is about God Slayers who kill gods and take a portion of their power.

 **Issei:** (pondering) I may do that. What about the original Satan's being gods? Is that also true?

 **Alek:** Well in the collective Canaanite religion, Attar is the God of the Morning Star, the title given to Lucifer, and also of War, _or goddess since to this day people are unsure if he was a she or not_. Beelzebub was believed to originally be a cult god in the city of Ekron. Asmodeus' name originated from the real Zoroastrian wraith Aeshma Deava. Leviathan was based on Lotan, which was a predicament, so I used the lesser used name "Litanu" as the name instead and separated the two into individual beings.

 **Ravel:** So you basically have an idea of where most if not all the devils come from?

 **Alek:** Basically yes.

 **Rias:** (excited) How about my family name, Gremory?

 **Alek:** That comes from, I believe, from Gomorrah since an alternate spelling is "Gomory", which was later influenced by the Frankish word "grima" which means "sorcery", that would become "Grimoire" which relates to a Book of Magic. Lord Zeoticus' [Bishop], Henry Cornelius Agrippa, wrote many grimoires himself. It would also explain why the Gremory's hereditary ability is "magic proficiency". Others like "Cimaris" is based on the Greek "Chimera", so the devil family would have originated in Greece and had some connection with it's name sake. Barbas and Barbatos could have been related in the past which is why their names are similar, as are Asmodeus and Asmodai, even Andras, Andrealphus and Andromalius possibly. Perhaps Beelzebub got the first half of it's name from the Baels. Even Rofocale Lucifuge, or Lucifuge Rofocale as his name was originally presented, could have come from the family of Focalor. There are so much possibilities to explore, but I will restrain from changing the focal point of this story.

 **Issei:** (concerned) Is it ok that I kind of want to applaud you? It feels so . . . wrong, after having to endure all this for your self pleasure.

 **Alek:** Don't then. (moving on) As for the written part of the text, I based the devil letters used by Issei to write his and Ravel's names, which I called 'Azaberkna', on the Gothic Alphabet, with the vowel symbols being inspired by those used in Hebrew to give it a look that resembled an Abjad that had inspirations taken from the Alphabets used in Europe.

 **Rias:** Can't argue when it's already been done. I like that as similar to "Alphabet", the name for "Azaberkna" comes from the first two letters "aza" and "bercna".

 **Alek:** Well thank you very much for the compliment. (looking back at the crate behind his feet) Is that all? (waits for a reply, but then starts to move towards the crate from **User:RedSS** ) No? Ok the-

 **Rias:** (interrupting) Actually . . .

 **Alek:** (face palming) Oh, god.

 **Rias:** I noticed that there were a lot of words that . . . for better or worse, didn't make any sense. I don't even think they are even real words.

 **Alek:** (lighting up) Ah, you mean "Pericombobulations", "Incompunctuous", "Frasmotism", "Unanaspeptic", and "Contrafibular". Yes?

 **Rias:** (agreeing)Yeah, those words.

 **Alek:** For those of you who haven't seen the BBC TV series " **Blackadder** " (1983-1989), the third series was about the title character Edmund Blackadder (portrayed by Rowan Atkinson) is a butler for George, the Prince Regent (later George IV, portrayed by Hugh Laurie), and in one episode, Dr Samuel Johnson (portrayed by Robbie Coltrane), who wrote the complete English Dictionary, arrives to ask for the Prince's backing for the books publication after explaining how it had taken him ten years to compile every word in the English language, which then causes Blackadder to offer up some "words" of his own.

 **Ravel:** (confuddled) So those words don't really exist then?

 **Alek:** No.

 **Issei:** (confused) Then you wasted sentences with words that have no meaning. Why?

 **Alek:** Well, actually it's a joke I decided to pull after **User:** **Dragon_Rider_66** commented last week that Issei sounded like a butler, so i thought I would do just that for an ironic joke so Issei would really sound like a butler.

 **Issei** (misunderstanding) It wasn't a funny joke to be honest. Plus, you could have chosen some more familiar butler that people would recognise, like . . . that demon guy who shares his name with an exorcist. Um, . . . Michael Sebastian, I think.

 **Alek:** (rolls his eyes) . . . _Is it the copyright issues? Is that why he made such an obviously stupid mistake?_. . . Anyways; secondly, I added pericombobulation first since I wanted to use a word that was familair, but would have a definitive menaing to fit the mood of the sentense, but then I actually invented meanings for those words based on how they are constructed when I then though to myself 'I've already added one in, why not add the lot?';

So first in chronological order, as on the show, Contrafibularity is a combination of "contra-", from Latin ' _contra_ ' meaning "against", and "fibular", also from Latin ' _fi + bula_ ' which refers to a brooch worn to hold clothing together like a safety pin, so word could mean something like 'to cause instability', since the word 'fibular' also refers to the smaller bone in the lower half of the leg which helps to sustain balance.

Anaspeptic from the Greek words ' _ἀνα-_ ' (ana) meaning 'upon, again, etc.', and ' _πέψις_ ' (pepsis) meaning "digestion", so it means something like 'able to digest or understand', but I might have stretched that definition one too thinly.

Frasmotic comes from "fras-", from Greek ' _φράσις_ ' (phrasis) meaning "manner of expression", and "motic", from Latin "motus" meaning 'motion'. So frasmotic means 'an expression of movement'.

Compunctuous from Latin "com" meaning 'with, and "punctuate" meaning 'to emphasise', making it 'with emphasis' or 'emphasising'.

and finally, Pericombobulation is made from "peri-", from the Greek ' _περί_ '' (peri) meaning 'around, about, etc.', and "discombobulation" which means 'an embarrassing feeling that causes confusion'. So the word means 'almost an embarrassing cause of confusion'.

Right then, are we done?

 **Issei:** I'm good here.

 **Ravel:** No more questions from me. How about you Rias.

 **Rias:** I think I had everything i wanted to ask covered. I just really want to get out of here.

 **Issei:** (depressed) So do was all. (remembers something) Hang on! What about the party you said we were going to have?

 **Alek:** (tutting) No worries, that is was **RedSS** 's crate is for. We now have drinks! (opens the crate to reveal three bottles of vodka and a bottle of Chilean red wine) This guy is enjoying a cold one were he is, so he sent the rest to us. (offering use of the crate to the others) How about it? Take your pick.

 **Issei:** (refusing) I'm underage, so I can't unfortunately.

 **Ravel:** (also refusing) As am I; in the Underworld the drinking age is 18.

 **Rias:** Yes, and in Japan, it's 20. In the United States, I hear that it's 21 due to a new law being passed nationwide.

 **Alek:** (pulls the bottles out) Well, good for me, since I live in the United Kingdom, and the minimum drinking age is 5 . . .

 **Issei, Ravel, and Rias:** (flabbergasted) WHAT!

 **Alek:** (continuing) . . . on a non-licensed premises, like at home. (opening the first bottle) For licensed premises, it's 16 for beer, cider and wine with a meal, and 18 for anything else, including purchasing. (starts drinking)

 **Issei:** (annoyed) Damn it. This is so unfair that he gets to drink while we have to watch him. (crosses his arms in a huff) At least Sensei was considerate enough to offer me a substitute while he drank.

 **Ravel:** (shrugs and sighs) Though I suppose its pay back for the Banoffee Pie bomb incident. I wouldn't be surprised if he did this knowing that he would get the last laugh on us. As expected from Author-san.

 **Rias:** (looks back at Alek and notices the empty bottles) . . . Wait, how many has he drunk? I haven't had any yet!

 **Issei:** (shocked, runs to look at the box) The whole crate! All three bottles of vodka. And now he's- (noticing the bottle of Chilean wine in his hands) Author-san!

 **Alek:** (pulls the bottle from his mouth, whilst tipsy) . . . hwat?

 **Rias:** (angry and disappointed at the same time) You didn't even leave the wine for me. (giving up as he continues to drink) At least slow down, you're going to be sick!

 **Alek:** NO! *hic* I'll tell you . . . that you will be the one sicking everywhere. (licks his lips and looks at the bottle) I don't even like wine, so why I drinking this? (thinks it over) . . . meh, more wine *hic* will tell me answers.

 **Issei:** You're English just got worse. (everyone gasps) What?

 **Alek:** (crying now at the memory, hugs the bottle in his hands) . . . Don't be an Issei! I try my *hic* best, but my hands type further than my eyes can read. I trying. *sniff* I really do. (sobs in an alcoholic induced whinge) I'm just human, but now I am your *hic* God. (mood swings) I could kill you and then I would say "hey, who speaks bad English now" and then I laugh and then *hic* . . . and then . . . (passes out on the floor)

 **Ravel:** Well, that was unexpected. (sighs) It's like this every week. I hate having to be the straight one most of the time. (inner monologue) _Good thing too. His drunken rant was too unbelievable to even be passable._

 **Rias:** (snatching the rest of the bottle from Alek, then poking him with a stick found conveniently nearby) Hey, how am I suppose to leave now that he's this intoxicated?

 **Ravel:** (shrugs) If we knew that, we would have left a month ago. (sighs) I guess we'll have to leave it till next week. On behalf of the Author, we would like to say thanks and until next time.

 **Issei, Ravel, and Rias:** Bye-bye!

 **Alek:** (in between sobs) Ehh! Go to, . . . *hic* wherever heck is!

* * *

 **Thank you for *hic* reading, and review at your nearest *hic* convenience.**

 **Special thanks to . . . um, these guys right here: 'Karoka Partas', 'RizomataNyan', 'Valimesh', 'Dragon Rider 66', 'On Soaring Wings', 'FateBurn', 'PlutoGenesis', 'ferodile', 'RedSS', 'Triplesquidge', 'War historian', warrof', 'Imperial-samaB', 'WarRedMachine20', 'Yankee718', 'LordGhostStriker', 'TheLaughingStalk Lenny-Kun', 'Guest' (4) , 'Thus dud'** **, 'DrunkenFistNinja', and 'drath56' for their reviews, I *hic* really do appreciate it.**

 **Oh, next week, there's a party and stuff . . . so *hic* OC's are welcomed if anyone wants one added. *hic* Devils though, cause of time and stuff. And Issei's not a devil anymore next chapter *hic*, but *shhh* I'm not suppose to say anything.**

 **Well, *hic* until next time everyone. Bye!**

 _(My English isn't *sniff* terrible. *hic* It's not!)_


	5. Natural Selection Part 1

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release. The Anime is getting a Season 4 if you didn't know. Oh, you did? Well then, let's continue.**

 **. . . I'm so excited.**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

* * *

It was in the year AM 5764, or 2004 CE on April 16th aka my thirteenth birthday that I, Hyoudou Issei, would finally cast aside my human life in favour for one of a devil.

I had been expecting this moment for quite a while, and why wouldn't I? To live here in this mansions, been given free tutoring and lessons, three meals- *ahem* three _gourmet_ meals a day, my own room _with an ensuite bathroom too, which I dare neigh need to explain,_ and for no such compensation thus far. This was a little much, even for a guest, in my own opinion, but not at the time.

I tell you this now, because this would be the last time I would be treated as a guest under their home. After the necessary ceremony that day, I would be an official member of the household servants, and I was one part excited, two part afraid, and one part was a terrible concoction over every remaining emotion I had yet to separate into their various forms.

I remember specifically that it was a Keyz Zygsiz ( _Sixth Day_ ), or a Friday, because it meant that the next day would be the last day of the week Keyz Zyhszetiz ( _Seventh Day_ / _Saturday_ ), and thus the most proactive of all the days; The weekly Rating Game Tournament matches, which I remember seeing for the first time in my life the very next day.

I won't spoil it, but it is the still the greatest game I ever saw. Enough has been said.

The day actually started straight after breakfast. As per usual since the incident that happened years before, Ravel made sure that I remembered that today was my birthday by making up a large fuss over the day as she had done last year. Unlike last year however, this year was going to be a different kind of celebration.

I'm embarrassed to mention that I forgot which day was my birthday after spending so much time in the Underworld; the differences in calendar and the days of each month meant I easily lost track of what day today and tomorrow was in equivalency. Though Japan had adopted the Gregorian Calendar from the Western World, the devil societies continued to use the calendars their forebearers used, with the start of the year beginning halfway through March at the Spring Equinox, rather than in January, with twenty eight days spread across thirteen months, with the first month having twenty nine to accommodate the New Year, and then in Leap Years, an extra day is added to the end of the seventh month in September so that the Autumn Equinox remains in the middle of that month for traditions sake.

Back to where I was going with this, I hadn't actually mentioned when my birthday was until I was asked, nearly eleven months later after first arriving, by Ravel who was curious as to why I hadn't had one. To make this story a short one; I told her when my birthday was, and when she did some cross checking and realised we had passed the twentyeighth day of the first month, which equated to the April 16th. Could you imagine the shock on her face when she heard that we had completely missed my birthday?

I will skip over the reminiscing, but she made sure that I never forgot when my birthday was again.

After the initial celebrations, there was a moment of silence as Lord Phenex called attention into the room.

"If everyone would now follow on through to the reincarnation chamber please, we may proceed with the celebrations."

"""Yes, my lord."""

As the being present acknowledged and obeyed to his call, there was an immediate tug to my sleeve.

"Come one, Issei. It's finally time."

The one most excited by this was Ravel, who leaped from her seat and grabbed hold of my left hand with both of hers, pulling me from the table and to my feet. And she had every reason to be excited, since would be the first time she would be reincarnating another being in a future peerage member. In addition, it also meant that unless I committed direct treason against her or another high-class devil, I would not leave her for the rest of eternity to summarize.

* * *

As you could have easily guessed by the name of the room; it was specially created as a ritual room for the process of reincarnating other species into devils. I don't know if this room existed before under a different name, or if this room was created with magic to specially accommodate the ceremony. But for its appearance alone, it was certainly full of esotersism everywhere you looked.

The room was light only by stone altars that held flames hovering above their pedestals, coloured in many varieties, shades and tones that would take only a connoisseur days to number and identify each specific light to its correct name. If I were to name the first ten as Sky, Azure, Turquoise, Lime, Chartreuse, Buttercup, Vermilion, Mandarin, Mahogany, and Scarlet, I would be very lucky to have named one of them correctly.

Apart from the lights, there were a series of blank white drapes that flocked the walls in long strips that piled on the floor and tugged between the slates, tattooed in letters, glyphs, pictographs and characters that seemed to intermingle with each other, but were virtually unreadable without knowing what you were looking for.

In the centre of the room, there was a large carved circle that was dug one inching into the surface in perfect alignment and distance from each other without one mistake made to the craftsmanship of the work. It was colourless, unlike everything else in the room, but that was what made it so special for the process about to be undertaken.

With all members present; the host family, their peerages, and the entire staff that worked in the mansion, who at such a great number managed to fit into this one room, the initiation could begin. Lord Phenex first stepped forward, along with his Bishop, Aleister Crowley, who was keeping hold of a precious box that belonged to Lady Phenex on her behalf since she had no members of her own peerage at this time despite having registered and received her own Evil Pieces.

"Dear members of the current Phenex Clan, both family and devoted servants. We are gathered for this day in which we invite a new member into our home. Upon soil and riches."

After Lord Phenex spoke the last sentence, it was taken over by the Phenex family, then their peerages, then the servants, before all present spoke in unity.

"Upon clouds and gales."

"Upon salt and tides."

"Upon brimstone and smoke."

"""In the light and in the dark."""

"By all these Cardinal Points, we shall accept them."

"""We shall accept them."""

I can perfectly understand how this may have sounded like something a cult would be uttering during an initiation of new members, because that would definitely be the best way of describing this event. The ritual itself was crafted in reminiscence of the old oaths taken by new devils during the time of the Original Satans before swearing them in to be reincarnated into full devils. The very definition of "pure-blooded" relates to how the original devils in took the blood of Lilith in order to wield Demonic magic in replacement to the dwindling Holy powers coveted by multiple godly factions in the world. It is for that reason that Majoou ( _Devil Queen_ ) Lilith is regarded as the "Mother of all Devilkind".

The basic translation relates to the classical elements (earth, air, water, fire and aether or void), and also uses each of them to symbolise parts of the oath of acceptance. To put it bluntly, it relates to accepting a new comradery for fortune or for defeat ( _soil and riches_ ), whether the situation looks grim or changes in direction ( _clouds and gales_ ), whether members become separated by distances for long periods of time ( _salt and tides_ ), or whether this path chosen will eventually lead to ruin and despair ( _brimstone and smoke_ ), for awareness or mysteries and in any way we may go ( _light and dark, and Cardinal Points_ ), they are accepted.

It was pretty longwinded, but I felt it was necessary to explain. It is definitely more beautiful without spelling out its translation.

I was unsure if that had been the same for every time a new member of a peerage was inducted, nor did I wonder if every household went through such a process considering a single member could end up performing this ritual up to fifteen times each, and possibly more if they were to receive new unclaimed pieces through trade, death of a member, theft, or in most cases due to a current member turning stray.

After all the necessary words were spoken, Lord Phenex held his hand out in my direction.

"May Issei, please, step forward."

I complied, once my mind returned to focus after having been entranced by the atmosphere created by the chanting of their oaths. Walking out to meet with Lord Rivalen and Aleister at the centre of the circle. I only just noticed as I approached the two figures that there was a tome in the possession of Lord Phenex' Bishop. It wasn't particularly, large, but I knew by its very presence that it was of importance before it was even in use.

As I finally reached within arm's reach of the current [Marquis], he spoke to me.

"Issei. You have lived with us since you were ten years old, but there comes a day when every child grows up and must choose what they want for the future. As you are now thirteen, the Shinto Faction could theoretically claim you as a citizen of their realm, but as this choice still remains with you we would like the to make out offer first;"

That was excuse that was delivered, but the truth was that Maou Sirzechs Lucifer had become aware of my existence. It wasn't that he had said anything up until this point, but it was the fact that he knew and was choosing to remain silent that was becoming a concern. From what was gathered, while he helped arrange the engagement between his only sister and the third son of the Phenex clan, he wasn't too pleased with it.

I myself have already confessed that I do not like the idea of an arranged marriage; sure, it is a practised custom adopted my many wealthy and powerful families, even those in my home country of Japan have practised it for centuries as they have across the globe. It's not that I am against tradition, but the idea of forcibly marrying a member of your family, it wasn't right. Any contract that is made without the guarantee in free will and choice in the matter is alien to me. It would be like making a contract in which one party deliberately forces a contract in their favour upon the other party who is oblivious to the conditions because they were never present to begin with.

It all sounds convoluted, but please bear with it.

So imagine my surprise when I heard that the Maou himself was against the marriage, but still had the audacity to arrange it. I have nothing personal against Riser, but I could understand the view that he was a massive playboy and his idea of having a harem built within his peerage could be viewed as despicable, but that is what I never understood about the Maou Lucifer. If it wasn't in his interest, then why did he help create it? That puzzled me when there were still a great many ample bachelors that he could have easily chosen from if he didn't think Riser was a good match. The notion made little sense to me, but it wasn't mine to make reply nor to reason why.

It was a surprise to me when I heard that harems were commonplace in the Underworld, and especially among all of the high-class devils. After Riser, Lord Rivalen, Ruval, and even Rayzem all had harems, which baffled me the first time I heard it. Though the topic itself make me feel slightly uncomfortable to this day, I understand the logic considering that as the downside to inheriting the curse of Lilith was the lower conception rate in the devils as a race.

I'm sorry, my story wandered off a little too far. I will continue to where I was meant to go.

His offer to me was simply this:

"Live for us. Protect and serve this family until end of time, for all of time, and never betray the trust bestowed upon you for any and all desires that violate these ties between us we offer. In exchange, you shall receive a life to surpass mortal lifetimes for millennias of generations, a roof to slumber beneath, a gift to control and command your environment without interference from blessings or prayers, and a master of whom to serve to give this new existence meaning and purpose until the heavens themselves fall into the inferno. If there are objections to this proposal, speak now, or accept what has been most generously presented before you."

"I accept what you have to offer. I await to serve."

It was two lines I needed to learn that had to be said exactly right. Ravel made sure it was ingrained into me for the past two weeks before this day to make sure that I wouldn't forget such an important part of the ceremony. Apart from this, everything else I could say and offer could be said in my own words as a way of showing that it was mine alone and not one wrought with deceit by simply replicating the words of another.

As Aleister brought forth the tome out between the two of us, Lord Phenex brought out his hand on which the book would lay flat upon, while calling upon Ravel to step forward as well. Standing in opposition to me as we stared face to face with each other, I first brought my hand out on top of the books cover, while Ravel brought hers out and placed it over mine. The necessity of this was acknowledgement that I was to serve under her. By her hand being placed over mine, she was accepting responsibility for my care and needs, while mine beneath her was to symbolise my place to listen and obey her, and to keep her out from harm's way by putting my own life within her literal hands.

As my future King, Ravel was obliged to make her oath to me first, before I was allowed to speak. As we stared deep into each other's eyes from across the book where both our hands were meeting, she spoke with such a confidence that she allowed herself to smile as she professed it before all who were present, which in turn made me smile.

"I, Ravel of the House of Phenex, accept thee, Hyoudou Issei, as my servant. Let us uphold the laws of the Underworld as one of the members of the 72 Pillars, and continue to remain by each other's side forever and ever, and ever."

As a high-class devil, Ravel's words were limited into what she could say that would make it a personal oath, but I found it heart-warming to find the delicate balance between her loyalty to the Underworld being affirmed as well as her own contribution directed only to me, that I confess made me a little hot in the face.

Zemele was the only one whom I knew of that would have understood the emphasis on the last words apart from the two of us standing in the circle. That was my presumption, but apparently by the collection of humoured voices alone, it wasn't such a personal secret as Ravel may have expected, or even hoped it was.

The nostalgia in her last words might have embarrassed her slightly, but it brought its own smile unto my face even as she looked to bury her face within the page of the tome resting beneath our palms, as I proceeded to continue onwards to take the attention away from her.

"And I, Hyoudou Issei, accept thee, Lady Ravel of the Phenex Clan, as my King. Uh . . . L-let us be our own heroes and ascend beyond the heavens to the endless skies above until there is nothing but the Sun left to reach out and grab, . . . and I hope we continue to get along like we always do."

I had to think a little about what I wanted to promise her, until my own nostalgia from years ago reminded me that I had already made a promise to her that I wanted to reaffirm with her in front of witnesses. The ending part was a little bonus I decided to throw in at the last minute. It was pretty childish, but for a person of my age who wasn't quite used to speaking entirely formally with Ravel, it felt right to speak somewhat informally for something as important as this as confirmation that this wouldn't change our relationship.

I earned a few open laughs from our audience, which I was glad and despairing over that I was facing away from them at the time.

"Now that you have made your oaths to each other, may we proceed with the reincarnation process."

As the tome was taken away as we took our hands away from each other, the box carried before by Aleister replaced it. As Lord Phenex slowly retreated from the circle, it was Lady Phenex who next stepped into the circle to continue the initiation.

Inside the box, as I discovered when she opened it, was a collection of little pieces made of some translucent material that was neither glass, wood nor stone. Nor could I put my finger upon what sort of metal allow the diminutive instruments could have been crafted out of. When I noticed how they were shaped into little chess pieces, I knew that these were the Evil Pieces spoken of.

More specifically than that, they were Lady Phenex's Evil Pieces, due to the faint light blueish glow of them that was the colour of her family House of Andrealphus.

As Ravel wouldn't be allowed to obtain her pieces for another year when she turned thirteen as I was, and even if they went to appeal to allow her to gain them early, the existence of the [Red Dragon Emperor] would be exposed. Such a public move would lead to a political upheaval since it would appear that the Phenex clan has not yet decided upon which faction it would choose to side with, since at this point engagements could very well be broken in favour of a better alliance offer.

In the underworld, while you had the Maou at the top, the current positions held by Sirzechs Lucifer of the House of Gremory, Serafall Leviathan of the House of Sitri, Ajuka Beelzebub of the House of Astaroth, and Falbium Asmodeus of the House of Glasya-Labolas, you also had the ranks of the high-class devils of the Seventy-Two Pillars;

Though only Thirty-Three families were still classified as alive, while the others had gone 'extinct' due to the lack of pure-blooded devil heirs, with their descendants now classified as half-bloods and were designated to middle-class along with the Extra Demons. Other high-class devil clans like the Princes of Pruflas, Kings of Amayon, Kings of Corson, and Kings of Ziminar are designated as exterminated as all members of their clans, pure or other bloods, were deceased, reducing the Seventy-Six Pillars to Seventy-Two as they are today.

Since the Maou faction was already supported by the Dukes of Gremory, Princes of Sitri, Dukes of Astaroth, and Earls of Glasya-Labolas, along with other houses like the Princes of Vassago, Marquises of Amon, Dukes of Agares, and Dukes of Focalor, there was a strong stability already in place around their power base. The Earls of Furcas, as well as the Knights of the Order of Malebranche were obligated to support the Maous, but it wasn't a definitive state of allegiance that was solidly counted upon.

In their private opposition, there was the Great Kings Faction was made of the Kings of Bael, Paimon, Beleth, Purson, Asmoday, Balam, and Belial, with the First Heads of the now extinct Kings of Vine, Zagan and Decarabia still among their leaders. The Princes of Gaap, who were among the former Cardinal King clans of Archdemons is an honourary member, and an ally also. I think that it was also known that they were also allied with the Barons of Abaddon and Belphegor at this point in time.

In the old days before the new Maou, only those in the Seventy-Two pillars held noble titles, but due to the massive decline and extinctions of pure-bloods, it became necessary to replenish the population through various methods, which lead to a promotion in ranks. Houses like the Glaysa-Labalos clans were moved up a rank from what was translated as "Presidents" into Earls, and even the Knights of Furcas were promoted to allow prominent Extra Demons to hold noble ranks.

But on a side note, the new Earl of Furcas is still referred to as "Sir" as opposed to "Lord", and even precedes over the Demonic Order of the Knights of the Malebranche as Grand Master.

Other strong Houses in the Extra Demons had a degree of influence due to various powers attributed to them, including the Barons of Lucifuge, Mammon, Baphomet, Abaddon, Belphegor, Pheles, Arioch, Choronzon, Zephon, Alsiel, Nahemah, and Adramelech, and the Knights of Malacoda, Alichino, Barbariccia, Cagnazzo, Calcabrina, Ciriatto, Draghignazzo, Farfarello, Graffiacane, Libicocco, Rubicante, and Scarmiglione, all of whom make up the Knights of Malebranche.

Then, even among reincarnated devils, there were some who managed to achieve the rank of Ultimate-class through strengths that vary between them, the new "Viceroys", the closest translation to the title without any real designated power, of Rosenkreutz, St. Germain, Cagliostro, Flamel, Shinami, and even Tannin. Unlike the pure-blooded devil clans, their lands were under direct ownership of an existing House, but where allowed a limited independent governance permitted to the new Ultimate-class beings.

In the end, it is all part of one big political game, and at some point in time, there is going to be a civil war unless we find a bigger threat to all of devilkind to divert our attentions to a common cause once more. While I hate to think about restarting a war with the Angels, Fallen Angels, Old Satans, or even another mythology all together, a civil war between the Maous and the Old Kings is a worse scenario than the former four options.

Although it would have been preferable for me to be reincarnated once Ravel was old enough to be granted her evil pieces, waiting any longer was not a viable option. Either way, I would have to go through a registration period so that I would be , and leaving it any longer till I was old enough to leave would mean a screening with the Maou, which would not serve the interest of the Phenex clan as of yet.

By being reincarnated now, and by a member who is of age and already in possession of piece, a scenario like this could be avoided entirely until Ravel was old enough for me to be traded to her at a later date. Instead of being left open for the taking on the table, I was already under reservations before I could be claimed by an outside party.

Taking the open box from Aleister, who retreated also from the circle to stand alongside his fellow peerage members by Lord Phenex's side, Lady Rozalva held it out in front of her, before turning the container towards her daughter.

"Ravel darling, would you like to do the honours?"

"Mother?"

Looking up at her mother is disbelief, Ravel was quite stunned at the idea of being offered to touch one of the precious Evil Pieces that rested inside the box, and was hesitant upon laying her fingers upon them. As each little object in shape to match the board games figurines was painted internally with a little flame like essence that was coloured according to each individuals noble family, the notion to touch these pieces was like being offered to feel at the very fragments connected to that person's very soul. Maybe even real reflections of their spirits were in these knights and bishops and rooks and pawns, but I do not truly know.

The look of timidity in her actions offered her mother a chance to relieve the fears that she may have associated with laying her hands on the contents sleeping in their hinged coffers. Placing a gentle hand upon her daughter's cheek as she bent down to eye level with the twelve year old Ravel, she assured her that all was fine.

"Though you still have a year to wait, he will be your Pawn in due time. I think it would be appropriate for you to incite the ritual, don't you. If it is my own daughter, then I feel no repulsion in allowing you to touch, because a piece of my soul is already in you as it always has been."

With a smile as her response, she nodded and accepted the box from her mother, who exited the circle to allow the last ritual to begin. It actually didn't matter who incited the ritual, only that magic was imbued into the pieces to allow them to bond with a soul.

I looked among the pile now offered towards me by Ravel, but it was by almost predestined coincidence that the horse shaped idol was on top and within sights. Maybe it had been deliberately placed within view, and I wouldn't have put it past Lady Rozalva to have done so beforehand. I doubt anyone else would have been allowed to reassemble her pieces in such a precarious order.

There was this short moment of awkward silence between us, but Ravel was sure to shake it off quickly when we noticed how uncomfortable it was just staring at each other over the wooden polished box of fifteen.

". . . Ok, so w-we are still in agreement. Right, Issei?"

"Uh . . . o-o-of course, Ravel. I said I would be your knight, and I intend to keep that promise. I'll be the Hero and the Dragon. Oh, that's right."

As started to reach for the Knight inside the box, it was only when grabbing for it with my left hand that I forgot to console with the third-party in this soul transaction about to take place.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

"Ready for this, Ddraig?" I asked the green jewel buried into the red metal gauntlet that appeared on my left arm.

 **["I was sealed ready for anything, Partner. I have been tossed between souls and have made allies of many different wielders. I would like to stick around in one place a little longer than three decades this time, so at least keep that in mind. As long as we can defeat the White One, I'll accept any power necessary to ensure our survival. Plus, it wouldn't look good on us to mooch off of a noble devil family and not do anything in return. I may just be a spirit, but I still retain my dragon's pride."]**

With the dragon's seal of approval, I nodded and grabbed the Knight piece from inside the box. Holding that tiny piece of liquid flame inside of a tool, it thumped inside my palm like a tiny heartbeat. I could imagine the ten year old version of me dropping it in shock when feeling that pounded rhythmically in my hand for the first time.

Luckily it was many years since that time, and I was now more prepared and accustomed to the ideas of magic. I no longer questioned its logics, when most of it relied on laws that predated and exorcised the rules of reason.

With the piece in my grasp, Ravel went on to proceed. However . . .

"Ok then, Issei. Lay down here and-"

"Um, Ravel. Sweet sister of mine. I know this is your first time witnessing this ritual, but look again at Mother's Knight Piece."

Having been halted by Lady Ravel's youngest of her three elder brothers, both of us looked again at the Evil Piece I had taken out from its container. What we both saw was truth in Lord Riser's own observation from outside the chiseled circle.

"Huh? It's not glowing."

I myself also noticed this when I looked upon its fragile form again. Apparently the Evil Piece was supposed to be fully lit like the flame inside was spreading throughout the entire object. But it did not. Only its small spark remained, forever small and within a slumbering state of existence. There had been no such reaction from it after I had touched it. It was useless to use on myself.

I don't precisely remember what happened to the mood of the room, but there was a wide collection of varieties of reactions to the news that I cannot pinpoint to each individual as there were many people in this room, easily around or exceeding one hundred. I do remember the responses of Ruval, and later from Ddraig as well, who were aware of the reasons to why the piece had failed to activate.

"What did you expect from a Longinus wielder? With the power to kill a god, it's no wonder his base power already exceeds Rank 3."

 **["In Layman's terms, Partner; we're too strong for this piece."]**

Just like how a Pawn was worth a single value, all pieces had a ranking; Knight and Bishops were worth Three Pawn pieces each, Rooks at five, and Queens were nine. The King itself was priceless as it was the only piece that was a necessity and could not be properly measured. It was because of this that all beings that required reincarnation were only able to accept pieces that were equal to or greater than their base power, or their numerical correspondence rank.

The usual power ranking of any and all species was ranged between 1 and 12, which meant that for reincarnating devils, it was an impossibility to recruit a being who exceeded Rank 10, but some Kings could be Ranked higher based on power and merits, among other things but all this is complicated enough as it is.

For pure-blooded devils, or even devils in general, ranking was never an issue when accepting an Evil Piece; since reincarnation was not a necessity, nor were any of the special abilities attributed to said piece in most cases, the pieces used in induction could be as little as a single Pawn piece, but that was usually an insulting gesture to only offer a Pawn to being who was already a devil, leaving the minimal requirement at either a Knight, Bishop of Three Pawns if need be.

But for me, a Longinus wielder, I had already transcended Rank 3 before even being reincarnated, which meant that this single piece I held in my hands wouldn't respond to me. Even if it was a Mutation Piece, there are doubts that it would have worked either judging by how high my Ranking was when we discovered it.

"So I can't be a Knight?"

I replied openly in disappointment as I clutched on tightly to the piece in my hand. I was trembling at the idea that I had stuck in my head, about the role I had dreamed of fulfilling being dashed before I could even begin. It would also mean I was breaking a promise I had in all intentions of keeping no longer being possible, which hit me harder that then the piece's rejection of me did.

"That's not true, it will just mean using another Knight piece is needed."

"Well, double or nothing would be the most appropriate term for this situation."

"It's definitely not the first time such a requirement has been witnessed."

As all three of the Phenex brother's commented on the situation it only continued to look dire for me. As I had made myself ready for such an uneasy outcome, my confidence took a significant hit. While I was certain that there would be no hitch in the reincarnation process, of which I was feeling excited and scared at the same time over the prospect, I was now in a state of dread over the possibility of failing again.

As I dug my hand into the box to search for the second Knight piece whilst clinging to the first one in the same, I could feel it shake and my empty left hand was going clammy as I clenched it till the heat inside became unbearable and had become sweaty. My index finger and thumb continued pinching through the pieces, as I carefully maneuvered them through the pile taking the utmost care not to knock any pieces, or even the box from Ravel's hand, before I felt the piece I desired at the tip of my fingers, carefully grabbing hold and raising it from the container like an arcade claw.

Only, I made sure I didn't drop it, no matter how nerve wrecked I had become.

I held tight to both pieces, but evaded my eyes, afraid to see the outcome now. I felt two heart beats in my palm now, but there was no change that I could feel. Scared as I was, I eventually allowed the temptations to consume me and allowed my sights to fall upon my grasping hand to see whether a new light had been born or neigh.

But, to my regrets, it had failed also.

There was no new light erupting from either piece, no matter how they continued to flicker inside their clear casings. My last chance to fulfil my desired role, my promised role, was extinguished completely.

 **["Huh? I am conflicted on how to react to this issue, Partner."]**

Ddraig was right to be conflicted. Being able to demonstrate that even in my inexperienced state that I was still considered strong enough to surpass half-way through the recorded Ranking system was a literal boost to his pride and ego. But, at the same time, he realised how much it wounded me seeing such lack of illumination bursting in my hand.

By the mere lack of phototechnics filling the circle, the rest of the House present could see the disappointment I displayed as a clear sign that it had failed.

"This may be a problem."

"Now I didn't expect this. Two Knight Pieces, and still no reaction. Not even Rank 6. This is most interesting."

"Even though it's a mid-tier Longinus, six pieces worth isn't enough. I never truly grasped just how powerful a weapon that can kill gods could be."

As many different voices started talking within reach of my ears, the shallow realisation of what this predicament continued to bury itself into my chest like a slow moving bullet that was plunging through, drilling between my heart as it ached and my lungs as my breathing became harder to swallow.

I kept my head down, as it was the only way to hide my tears. Shedding so many as I was, while screwing my face from view, only made it more obvious. But it was all I was feeling. It was Ravel's hand the held it up again as it cupped my left cheek

'Forgive me, Ravel. This is my fault. It's my fault I can't be your Knight.'

I was in regret; regret that I couldn't keep my promise. Regret that swelled up inside as the small flames shone neigh brighter by my touch. Looking at the inactive Knights in my palm only made the pain worse as I continued to fixate on their lack of light.

Clapping his hands together to draw everyone's attention, Lord Phenex intervened to sort out the conundrum that had brought itself forward. As the room drew to tranquillity, he stepped forward, but not into the circle as to keep the ceremony alive in a sense, and addressed the room.

"Well, now that we have hit a wall we cannot climb, it comes to one's mind to look for alternate routes no matter how much our hearts have settled for this now impassable route."

An orange magic circle formed over his hand as a small fire burst into his hand before he grabbed hold of it by closing it over and flicking his index finger by snapping his fingers, which brought to life a new flame upon his now isolated finger.

"The elimination of Two Knight Pieces" he continued, "has effectively demonstrated that anything equating to Rank 6 and below are no longer available, which means that are down to the only three options left; One Queen, Two Rooks, or Seven to Eight Pawns."

Showing the individual numbers with his fingers, using fire magic to keep images of each piece tallied as he changed his numerical sequence following along.

"Or, there is the possibility we could wait until Ravel gets her own Evil Pieces. However slim, we could draw a lucky straw and retrieve one or two Mutation Knight Pieces."

"We wouldn't be having such a ceremony if we could wait that long."

A Mutation piece was a fickle phenomenon; it never truly had an explanation as to why it would come into creation, except that it was an extreme rarity for it to appear. I wish I had more answers for what exactly it is, but not even the Maou Ajuka Beelzebub, who created the pieces, knows why a piece mutates.

From what little that is known and confirmed, a mutation piece is essentially worth more in individual ranking then it's non-mutated counterpart; a mutation Bishop for example is almost equivalent in ranking to two Bishops, but the accounts vary as to how much stronger ranking a Mutation Piece could handle.

Not that any of us could afford to waste time waiting for a wild card that may not even appear in any of our hands. As if it would have been so lucky as that.

Ravel's birthday was the eighteenth day of the third month, which roughly corresponded to June 3rd, which was another two months after mine. Then adding on the year it would take until she was of legal age would make it too long a wait for me to remain human, not to mention risky for me to remain at my age without the Maou finding out. Especially when Lord Sirzechs already knew I existed to begin with.

"If we're going to use Pawns, we might as well just round it to eight. Fact of the matter is that having one Pawn left over would not do if seven are to be granted to a single person."

Riser's quite outrageous statement caught the attention of the entire room. It wasn't that his thoughts had no justification, and it wouldn't be unfounded to use more pieces than necessary to reincarnate a person. It was just how he put it. Only one among us had the audacity to answer incline to his declaration.

"I would never have expected you of all people to be saying that about Pawns after having spent all yours into eight separate servants. No offence meant by that girls, of course."

Having said what he did carelessly, Lord Rayzem made his apologies to Riser's peerage, though I highly doubted any of them would have piked up a word after his declaration. Even though the statement was directed to his five Pawns at the time, that is Mira, Ni and Li, Marion and Burent, none of them had taken any offence to what was said as far as I could see.

"So, I can't be a Knight then?"

It was a ridiculous question to be asking having been a front row witness for the entire initiation, and I already knew what the answer would be. I guess, I would say, that I was trying to affirm that there was no such available hope left for me before I could even consider raising it higher again.

"I am afraid that is now an impossibility, Issei. You're simply too strong to be a Knight."

Lady Phenex always had a way of being the bearer of bad news, whilst making her delivery of it the softest anyone could hope for.

 **["Forgive me, Partner. I know how much this meant to you."]**

'I would never blame you, Ddraig'

Though I kept my reply between the two of us, I nevertheless meant it with all sincerity. I still remember owing my life to the gauntlet containing his power when I needed to remove all internally congested poisons the doctors had failed to pump out of my systems.

Now came the great debate; with Lord Phenex having delivered the verdict, it was now in the hands of the audience who began to debate which piece should be used. Though most of the debating ended up being centred between the middle and younger brothers, who dominated the discussion

"I don't think being a Rook will suit him, especially since that will leave him as the only Rook in the Peerage."

"As opposed to being the only Queen or Pawn."

"The Queen is always the only Queen, and Pawns are another matter entirely."

It was probably a lot wordier than I am putting down to paper, but I seriously could not keep up with what either of them were saying half the time. I may have master Deftodiz to the point I could easily converse with people with little to no accent behind any of my words now, but at the fast pace and naturalist approach and leniency they were taking to pronouncing words, it was an impossible task for me to wrap my mind around.

The conversation changed however, when Lord Ruval finally raised his own opinion on the subject.

"I agree; while being a Rook may be well in the beginning, it does really limit the amount of potential to be had as a Longinus wielder, in my personal opinion."

And with that, everyone else fell silent. Having not said a word thus far on the topic, everyone turned to the eldest son as he finally inquired some logic thought towards a solution. Being a current contender within the top ten of the Rating Game tournament, who else in the family could claim to be a better expert on the appropriate uses of Evil Pieces than Ruval Phenex.

"You said nothing when we tried to make him a Knight. Why say this now?"

"It was his choice to be a Knight. And since Ravel agreed to this, it shouldn't of mattered what my opinion on the matter was or not."

Ruval's rebuke to Riser made sense, from a personal point of view of course; since my wanting to be a Knight was a personal one rather than a logical one as we were trying to think up a new alternative route as Lord Rivalen had stated, offering an alternate opinion at the time would have been a fruitless effort.

"Then what is your opinion, Ruval?"

Having now been challenged to pick at his own brain, Ruval stepped ahead of the crown, but again stayed away from the circle. To my surprise, he instead held his hand out towards Ravel and I, who stood their dumbfounded as he made his explanation for his actions.

"I think first we should ask the only two people this matters to. No offence meant of course Mother, considering these are still your pieces."

"None taken, Ruu dear."

Having received the positive response from Lady Phenex, Ruval called the two of us over from the center of the circle, though neither of us moved at first until a collective nod from the Lord and Lady of the house permitted us the option to advance. We dared not step out from the circle, but it wasn't necessary to be within arm's length of him to give his explanation.

"Ravel. Issei. What do you think? We have a limited option here, but what do you want to do?"

"I-I-I don't know, big brother.

"Well. I never thought I wanted to be anything but Ravel's Knight. I still wish to be her servant, and to stay by her side. But now, I don't know what is best for me."

Having noticed the clear indecisiveness in both of our voices, I am grateful to the honest opinion and description of what was available to us for using rather than a choice based on the looks and numeral capacity of each piece.

"Would you like to hear my verdict?"

As we both nodded in agreement, quite quickly after he offered to take the matter from our hands, he reached over and picked up three pieces from the box; the Queen, one of the Rooks and one of the Pawns. The action was justified by referring back to Lady Rozalva's allowance towards Ravel still being applicable to her sons by extention.

"We only have three options here; first is the Rook."

As he began to give us a descriptive comment on the pros and cons of each piece, he first took the Rook from his right hand and stood it face up in his left within our view. I think it's best to mention that he was on one knee due to Ravel still being quite short at the time at twelve years old.

"With an enhancement to both attack and defence at the cost of limited growth in magic and speed, the Rook is the powerhouse on any field. {Castling} is a special move limited to the Rook piece and its King. So long as neither the King nor the Rook are engaged in conflict, the Rook is able to take its King's place on any field in order to save it from danger. When you are practised enough, you can use {Advance Castling} in order to bring both the King and the Rook together in a point halfway between the two so long as there are no obstructions between the two."

Having said all the positive aspects he could name, he removed the Rook from his hand and placed it back in the box before explaining why he didn't think it was a good choice.

"I however do not see you as a Rook, since your Sacred Gear already grants you power which you can transfer into your own defence. And the limits on magic usage do make the ability to breathe fire and other such moves difficult to master. I believe it to be a hazardous mistake to stick you into a role that doesn't allow you to grow in all manners of abilities you are capable of using."

He next took out the only piece that didn't belong in a pair or a group that resided in that box. Deemed the most powerful piece in the box, it stood the tallest on his palm as he went to explain.

"Next, we have the Queen; Outside of the Rating Game, the Queen is the King's personal confidant and also the most trusted person they can rely on. As the Queen, you automatically gain all the attributes awarded to the Knights, Rooks and Bishops. You will have attack, defence, magic and speed boosts that will automatically compose itself into your abilities as necessary without one factor dominating the others. You will automatically be the strongest piece in her peerage, but I feel that this is not right for you either."

To demonstrate he didn't approve again, the Queen went back into the box.

"I have no qualms with your friendship with my sister, nor would I reject the idea that she should trust you over every other potential member, but the Queen piece is a cul-de-sac in itself and would leave you no room to grow, which I feel is a waste of your true potential. You gain all these abilities, but they can only be used to compliment your current skills, and the proportional power share isn't equally distributed among the main skills either. For someone who has experience and is already aware of their strengths and limitations, the Queen would suit them fine, but for you who is still finding his steps, I feel that you would be trapped by what the piece offers you."

Finally, as he began to conclude his explanations, he opened his right hand, with the Pawn, the smallest and remaining piece he took from his mother's collection, and he instead stood it up with his left hand, while keeping it in his right palm.

"Lastly, we have the Pawn, and this is the one I feel you should take. I know what you must be thinking, but this is not the weakest piece, and neither is it intended to be the sacrificial piece either. With the Pawn, you will have no special boosts to your natural strength, except those that would make your physiology that a kin to a devil. As a Pawn, you will have to work the hardest of all of the pieces in your peerage, but eight pieces will mean you will be the only Pawn as well."

He reached back over, but instead of going for the box, he took my right hand and put the Pawn inside of it as he closed my fingers of the tiny piece. Like the Knights I had been forced to abandon, the Pawn had its own heartbeat, but I noticed a clear difference between the two; the Knights has a faster pace like they were well exercised, but the Pawn's was smaller, quieter and fragile like it could give out at any time.

A strange idea came to mind, when I thought that this might be what it must be like for a parent to be feeling their child for the first time, but quickly I threw the thought from mind as Ruval finished his explanation.

"On the plus side, Pawns have an ability to {Promote}, which allows them to take on the attributes of all other pieces in a peerage, except for the King of course. So long as you are able to reach the enemies territory, or from special permission from your King, you can be all powerful as a Queen, or take a specific power form one of the other pieces. If you wanted to be a Knight, like you intended in the first place, then this will be your only opportunity to still fulfil this dream."

There was hope, as Ruval had put it. My dream was not gone completely as I had once thought.

{Promotion} was my key to still keeping my promise, but . . . a Pawn. Apart from that one ability, it felt like I was being granted the short end of the stick. The Pawn was the sacrificial piece, which was why you had so many of them, and the {Promotion} ability was basically saying "good job you didn't get killed. Here, I'll let you be anyone you want now." It sounds so condescending how I put it, but that is how it felt at the time.

Despite Lord Ruval's most gracious of opinions, I still wasn't able to make this choice by myself.

"What do you think, Ravel?"

"Honestly, I don't mind which piece you choose, Issei. As long as you are with me-, . . . a-as long as you become a part of my peerage, it doesn't matter whether you're a Pawn of a Queen, or whatever."

"Ddraig? Can I ask for your opinion?"

 **["This is all on you, Partner. We may share the same vessel, but it is your life that's up for discussion. My body no longer exists, so at the very least chose carefully about what you do with yours."]**

With neither Ravel nor Ddraig offering to help me with this decision, I racked my brain again through all the possible answers against accepting this Pawn Ruval deliberately placed in my hand. But, while I still had my heart set on being a Knight, the Pawn that continued to beat so instinctively in my hand was telling me that holding onto those two Knight I still held in my other hand needed to be let go from my grasp.

I took a deep breath, as I put the Knights back into the box. Not straight away though, it did take some willpower also to give up on them, but by the time they left my reach, I was confident I was making the right decision.

"I'll take the Pawns. I'm sorry for being so greedy."

After making my choice clear to Ruval who just smiled as he proceeded to step away now that his help was not needed, I apologised to Lady Phenex for wanting to use up all of her Pawns in one reincarnation ceremony. While she herself had no use for the pieces, it was still limiting her future options for a while if she decided to change her mind.

But lucky for me, she was the understanding type of person I am grateful for.

"Please, no need to fret. If anyone should be only allowed to have but one Pawn in their entire peerages, they would be grateful to have someone like you. Plus, I think Ravel could agree to that, right?"

"M-m-mother!"

Ravel went slightly red whilst protesting her mother's harmless teasing, which only in kind made the situation more humorous for the entire room as well as herself.

In my attempt to defuse the situation, I found that I had no idea what words I could say in her defence, so I tried for an alternative option. I offered her my hand, so that we could walk back to the centre of the circle again together. It was an especially stupid plan in hindsight, as it was only new fuel to add to the fire. Redder than she was before, she looked in several directions; towards me, the room, my hand, to the audience, and all of them again a few more times as she got warmer in the face until she snatched for my hand in what looked like a bit of a huff, as we both made the walk together.

Though, deep down, I could see that Lady Ravel appreciated my support.

Once we were back to where we needed to be, I started to pick up the Pawns from the box, one by one. With each new piece, they started getting a little brighter between them, but I paid little attention to it as I continued digging them out from the contents of their vessel. New heart beats started collecting in my occupied hand as I fed new Pawns into it so that I could still have a free hand to retrieve the remaining members of the group. But as I drew closer to the end, there was something quite odd with my final grab.

The last piece had me curious before I even reached out for it; instead of flickering as a candle would in the wind, it was like a small source of fire at all. The glow was there, but it crackled and sparked, more akin to a firework, or maybe even an open exposure of electricity more than anything. It seemed more aggressive than its seven more docile kin, which convinced my instincts to be wary of it.

But for the sake of my reincarnation, I shut my fears from my conscious and took hold of the piece with my index and middle fingers.

As the piece made contact with my skin, I felt the sensation of a single current connect it to the other seven cradled in my left hand. It was the strangest of feelings; it was like the eight individual heartbeats of the Pawns instinctively lined up with my own in that single moment. Throughout both my arms and the upper proportion of my chest, there was a collective ninefold contraction, including my own, that overtook my hearing.

Pulling out that final Pawn and bringing it closer to its sibling models, the reunited group came to life as their flames (and spark) burned an ever brighter shade of blue that my eyes had to evade it for a split second.

"Hmm, so he's Rank 8 then. How curious."

"At least we didn't need to worry about the possibility of giving him these options and being left with naught in results after several trials and errors. Imagine if he had picked up and got rejected by both the Queen and then the two Rooks. The whole ceremony would have been a pointless endeavour."

I have recollection of whose voices I had heard, as I continued to fixate on the dazzling sight I beheld in my then mortal hands. Eight neon light brightly shining in brilliant blue, whilst standing to attention like toy soldiers upon my horizontal palms.

"Ready, Issei."

Looking up towards me, as she put the box down to her side, clasping both her hands together almost like a prayer-

But not, obviously, because the simple action hurts worse than Hell. Do not try it at home, I implore you.

Overloaded with too many pieces for my thirteen year old hands, I gave the best reassurance gesture my hands could muster, while looking back in response with determination.

"Let's do this, Ravel."

With a nod of approval, I manoeuvred myself to the floor and laid upon the very centre of the circle, with the small of my back at the radius intercept. Ravel proceeded to arrange the Pawns upon my chest, placing them one by one until all of them were standing in a circle on my rib cage.

When it was completed, Ravel raised both her arms, and the circle came to life in a wave of orange light, and the magic brought greater illumination to the Pawns resting on my chest. Though the two colours would naturally conflict with each other, it was a complimenting sight to see the Phenex orange and Andrealphus blue intermingle with each other.

As Ravel began to her chant, the eight Pawns resting upon my chest began to slowly sink into my body like columns in quicksand, but the only struggle came from the one filled with lightning instead of fire, whom I bequeathed the nickname "Sparky" as I would later refer it. Sparky was restless, but wasn't as resistant as I have personified it to, as it seemed to shake itself side to side rather than remain inanimate as the magic of the circle gravitated the pieces into the cavities of my upper torso.

Sparky had been placed in the very centre of my chest, inside the ring of Pawns, so it's wriggling made weird tingling sensations at it would occasionally tap each of the seven other Pawns in its confusion, but nothing much else occurred that would have halted the ceremony.

"In the Name of the Marquis of Phenex, I command you. I, Ravel of the House of Phenex, make this solemn oath to you, Hyoudou Issei of the race of humanity, hailing from the nation of Japan. I, resurrect you from this life upon the soils of this Earth. To live my servant. To serve as my Pawn. To cast aside your old life and in return be reborn as a devil under my care. You, my Pawn, arise, rejoice and be delighted, for now you have been given a new life!"

The magic circle rapidly shot up with light as the ends of the Pawns finally disappeared into my body, before dying slowly and all light vanished from the room for a brief moment before the torches lit up again.

I started to slowly sit up, as I padded down my torso to affirm how the sensation had continued to linger. Sparky had settled down, and now I had eight little heartbeats beating inside of me. I have a very difficult time describing just how this feels for me. Apart from a better vision in the night, enhanced senses and some sort of phantom appendages behind me that I assumed was my wings before they unfurled. Nothing was different about me.

I was about to stand on my own, Ravel offered her hand to me, which I was inclined to accept, with a smile of course. After standing to my own feet, I was given my first formal introduction into the Phenex household.

"On behalf of the Phenex Clan, we officially welcome you to our House and to our services, [Sekiryuutei] Hyoudou Issei. May you serve under my daughter faithfully, and swear that you will protect her from all harms that may come your way. Is that understood?"

"Yes. Lord Phenex, sir."

Saluting like a boy scout, which in recollection now makes me embarrassed I did such a thing, I was formally welcomed with a round of applause.

"Good. Well, now that is settled. Ruval, I believe you have a game coming up in a few weeks, am I wrong."

"That is correct father. Tannin wishes to challenge me for my 7th place spot again, and of course I was willing to take on the challenge."

"It's a shame you couldn't do the same when Mammon suddenly appeared from nowhere and swept up to 4th place under your nose."

"Well, if he manages to knock Abaddon, Belphegor, or even [The Emperor] for that matter from their pedestals, then this will surely be an interesting season indeed."

It was well known even among the lesser devils who their champion of the Rating Games was. [The Emperor] as they called him, Diehauser Belial, the current [King of Belial] and Seventh Head of his clan. He had been only been the head for a little under six years at this point, but he had been a Rating Game professional for over three decades. Even if the current Maou were allowed to participate, no one would deny that Diehauser would remain the champion.

The Barons of Abaddon and Belphegor were well known to be allying themselves to the Old King Faction, of which Belial is also one of the principal members, so it was indeed a huge coincidence that when the Barons of Mammon started to ally with them also, that Tajinruk Mammon was suddenly strong enough to challenge the top ten. Worse still was that his display of power was so strong he knocked Madoukon Amy out of the table completely after accidently causing the deaths of two of his strongest pieces single handed. Worse still was that Rahdom Arioch had lost all motivation, and with enough pushing had been forced into 10th place, much to the confusion of his opponents.

None of this is relevant at the moment, so don't fret over it.

At this time, the current leader board was as followed: **1st.** Diehauser Belial, **2nd.** Bedeze Abaddon, **3rd.** Roygun Belphegor, **4th.** Tajinruk Mammon, **5th.** Hellken Malacoda, **6th.** Rudiger Rozenkreutz, **7th.** Ruval Phenex, **8th.** Tannin, **9th.** Shinami Ryuuya, and **10th.** Rahdom Arioch.

Although, even this wouldn't stay the same forever. While the top three were considered immovable, the remaining seven were constantly being challenged for their positions, both internally and externally by the experiences and brash alike. One of the more interesting game was always between Lord Ruvan and Tannin-ojiisama. In their record of 108 games in total, Ruval had managed to swipe 77 victories for himself, compared to the 29 wins for Tannin, and the remaining 12 were draws are matches were suspended for other reasons.

I shall not go into details however.

What made them so interesting was that apart from the obvious shift in rankings, the two of them were the definition of friendly rivals, and would often place small bets between the two of them. Sometimes it was to fulfil certain services, or most of the time it was just acts of humiliations that they would put on the other. Whoever won, many of the spectators were just hoping to see what kind of absurd punishments the loser would receive.

"You know that we expect you to win, of course. It would be quite embarrassing to lose again to Lord Tannin just shortly after you were able to move up a place."

"Of course not, father. I have every intention of winning, since I feel like it's time to put a little . . . investment for the future."

I would find out later what he meant, but not for another month or so. Being an Ultimate-class devil naturally gave Tannin a long list of duties, as a King in his own right, the Queen to Mephisto Pheles, even to his own family. It was hard to grasp just how unlikely you would have guessed that he was a husband and a father of three by looking at him.

"Now that everything has been put to order. We still have a birthday to celebrate!"

"""Yes, my lord!"""

With Ravel pulling me by the hand again, the entire household returned to my birthday celebrations. I will always look back on that with the fondest of memories; reminded of how much effort ravel went to get me to celebrate my birthday in the Underworld, the extravagant ritual they put in place for my reincarnation, and the choice I had to make which I do not regret making.

I still desired to be a Knight, but I do believe that the Pawn was definitely the best fitting piece for me.

But my idea of a fantasy life in the Underworld would come to an end very shortly the following day.

 **. . . to be continued.**

* * *

 _Yee of little faith._

 _How ignorant of yourself_

 _to have forgotten._

 _This is not The End,_

 _But the start of a story. An_

 _End of Innocence._

 _Hidden, I am weak._

 _Neither_ _Hero nor Dragon._

 _I am but a Pawn_

* * *

 **Omake V: Core and Corrections**

 **Issei:** We're back. (looking over to Alek on his side) Well, most of us are.

 **Alek:** (hungover) Give me a break. I had too much to drink. (to the readers) Skip this if you like, I don't care- (stops as he feels a bit sick)

 **Ravel:** A week ago. How can you still be this hung over after three bottles of vodka and one bottle of Chilean red wine? (looks at **User:RedSS** , shakes her head before turning away) It makes no sense.

 **Alek:** (trying to do . . . something, but is really cranky)

 **Rias:** (angry) You should have sent me home last week, and yet you passed out because of some comments detailing (coughs) "language difficulties".

 **Alek** (teary) Why do you do this to me?

 **Ravel:** (sick of it) This is getting us no where, and we wasted too much time last week so we are just going to have to fast track through the reviews as quickly as possible:

 **Issei** (sighing) Agreed. If we see a negative comment, don't read aloud. And if one mentions _you know what_ we shred it before he gets the chance to see it.

 **Ravel:** (nodding) Right, first negative is from **User:DrunkenFistNinja** who writes: (skips over a lot of it) " _. . ._ _going WAYYYY too on depth with it_ . . . _there's a reason Tolkien used foot notes_ -"

 **Alek:** (protesting) I like his footnotes!

 **Ravel:** (confused) _Has he already read these?_ (carrying on) Oh, he pays you a compliment for writing Rias and Akeno, and the miswriting did help with imagining Issei's accent. . . . (notices a part about "English") . . . Rias, if you be so kind.

 **Rias:** (dumbfounded) Is that why i'm still here: To be a substitute shredder?

 **Issei:** No. You're not a shredder. You're an extinguisher. Leave no evidence this was ever written.

 **Rias:** (a little angry, but destroys the letter with {Power of Destruction}) I can't believe you're using my powers for something so mundane.

 **Issei:** My turn. (picks up the review from **User:Dragon_Rider_66** , then gulps as it's snatched from him by Rias) Hey!

 **Rias:** You are not reading another of his letters. I do not trust the two of you to converse anymore after two separate instances.

 **Riavel:** I second that notion.

 **Alek:** Third.

 **Issei:** (shocked) What? Even you? . . . (gives in) Fine.

 **Rias:** (looks at the letter, then gets a bit flustered) I have no idea what distraction he was talking about.

 **Ravel:** (confused) What is he talking about?

 **Rias:** Ok then, **User:ferodile** (a positive reviewer) sends us: a calendar for Ravel, with all of Denmarks most famous sights.

 **Ravel:** (looking through the months) Oh, they have a statue of the Little Mermaid at the Langelinie. Well thank you very much for this.

 **Issei:** Anything for me?

 **Rias:** (studying the letter) . . . Y-yes. A USB stick. Enjoy. (throws him the stick)

 **Issei:** (confused) Huh?

 **Rias:** And for Alek-san, a bottle of whiskey (notes that Alek is looking sickly) which I will hang onto.

 **Issei:** Next is **User:Heliosion** \- (realises what it says) Rias.

 **Rias:** (destroys the letter) Gone.

 **Ravel:** And lastly, **User:Thus_dud** sends us . . . (studies the letter) Beaver tails? (opens the box) Oh! They're pastries. Well thank you very much. And that's it.

 **Alek:** (rolls from his side as he notices the pile of reviews left untouched) I think you skipped most of them. (sighs and takes the questions) **UserUCCMaster** : I like trains also. They are awesome. Yes, it's a Chekhov's gun. **User:firestarter09** : " _. . ._ _so will certain characters that died in canon, survive here?_ " Yes, unfortunately. **User:RangerElk76** : " _when will Issei or Ravel be able to speak Japanese/the devils language fluently?_ " Done. Moving on. **User:EternalZ Freedom** : " _is this going to be a harem or single pairing with ravel only?_ " Harems are a necessity in the Underworld due to low birth rates, but right now this arc is exclusive IsseixRavel. **User:tsun** : ". . . _is the omake really needed?_ " If I didn't have it, then I couldn't answer your questions or explain things that need explaining. Lastly it's **User:majik7** : _"_ _i really want to get back to the rating game and more of issei and ravel."_ That won't be until quite a long while. But the good news is that I will add a second snippet from the Rating Game like the prologue at a later date aka "New Years Day". (breaths) . . . that . . . is . . . all. Ok, Bye Rias, I'm sending you home now.

 **Rias:** (struck) Huh? So soon?

 **Alek:** Just getting it out of the way before I forget. (sends Rias back to the Canon world)

 **Issei:** (having already accepted his situation) I guess we can wrap it up now then.

 **Alek:** (slombering) Ok then, on behalf of me, I will try and get sober in two weeks time. So, there will be no new chapter next week, but the week after. I have other work I need to work on as well. Until the next time. Bye-bye! (touches his head from pain after shouting) Ow.

 **Issei and Ravel:** Bye-bye!

 **Alek:** (in pain) Not so loud.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'LordGhostStriker', 'DrunkenFistNinja', 'EternalZ Freedom', 'RangerElk76', 'FateBurn', 'Dragon Rider 66', 'ferodile', 'AcclaimingTR', 'This dud', 'firestarter09', 'RedSS', 'TheLaughingStalk Sponge-dono', 'Shaft Specialist', 'The Minion Sekiryuutei', 'Lightningblade49', 'majik7', 'Heliosion', 'UCCMaster** **', and 'tsun' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **This is part one of the finale for this "volume", not the arc. Think of this as a "Volume 0", which I think I'll call "Phoenix of the Pre-School Education" or something like that. After part two, there will be a few short stories until I can get back to doing this with more time during the Christmas Holidays. I will inform you if anything else comes awry. Be excited.**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**

 **. . . Oh shit, Rias still has my whiskey. Damn!**


	6. Natural Selection Part 2

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release . . . and if possible, could someone tell Rias to give me my whiskey back. Please? Anyone?**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

* * *

 **Previously:**

 _"Dear members of the current Phenex Clan, both family and devoted servants. We are gathered for this day in which we invite a new member into our home."_

 _"Issei. You have lived with us since you were ten years old, but there comes a day when every child grows up and must choose what they want for the future."_

 _"I accept what you have to offer. I await to serve."_

 _"I, Ravel of the House of Phenex, accept thee, Hyoudou Issei, as my servant."_

"And I, Hyoudou Issei, accept thee, Lady Ravel of the Phenex Clan, as my King."

 _"Ready, Issei."_

 _"Let's do this, Ravel."_

 _"In the Name of the Marquis of Phenex, I command you. . . You, my Pawn, arise, rejoice and be delighted, for now you have been given a new life!"_

 _"On behalf of the Phenex Clan, we officially welcome you to our House and to our services, [Sekiryuutei] Hyoudou Issei."_

 _"Yes. Lord Phenex, sir."_

 _"Good. Well, now that is settled. Ruval, I believe you have a game coming up in a few weeks, am I wrong."_

 _"That is correct father. Tannin wishes to challenge me for my 7th place spot again, and of course I was willing to take on the challenge."_

* * *

"Presenting your host for tonight's banquet: Lord Rivalen Phenex, 6th [Marquis of Phenex]. Lady Rozalva Phenex, [Marquise of Phenex]. The Lady Ravel Phenex, and their respective entourages."

As Sebast, the head butler of the Phenex Household, called out towards the guests the arrival of the Lord of the manor, all went silent as the Lord and Lady of the clan descended from the top of the stairs that led into the Great Hall where all the guest were present. The party had not been one without good reason. It was in celebration of Ruval's recent victory against Tannin in their last duel, and may I comment that it is still one of their finest matches to date;

From the starting gun, both teams mobilised with great precision, and knowing that they knew each other's moves was like watching two master tacticians stand-off, with so many well played advances, retreats, traps, breaks in the line, outflanking, . . . I could talk on forever about how brilliant it was to watch two master kings play the game.

In the end, it came down to which King was more resilient to fire, and unfortunately for the [Blaze Meteor Dragon], it was the flames of the [True Phoenix of the Inferno] who continued to dominate the final bout when Tannin's flames did little than to only enhance Ruval's {Regeneration} abilities.

As Lord Rivalen and Lady Rozalva walked down arm in arm, with Ravel holding the hand of her father's Queen, Lupambulus, and then the remaining members of each noble's peerages walked behind them.

Lord Phenex was dressed in a full suit, black from shoulders to toes, with several grades of fiery reds, oranges and yellows adorned on his person. He wore quite the collection of gold on his fingers and around his neck as he simultaneously waved his hand in a formal manner to his guest with his left hand, while support his wife's hand with his right as they both walked down step by step.

Lady Phenex wore a dress of light colours in white, silvers, pale blues and pinkish hues that resembled pearls in the moon light, or so many of the guests commented, with a floral bonnet of night-blooming cereus and fixed with peacock feathers as was a part of her families style. It sort of reminded me of something worn by Queen Elizabeth I of England in one of the history books I found one day in the library. With her left hand being supported by her husband, she continued to gracefully walk downward with her own right hand holding both a fan and the hem of her dress to avoid her stepping on it by mistake.

Ravel was not wearing something quite a flashy, but it was definitely ornated with light coloured ribbons hanging in loops and tied with bows across her dress of complimenting light red. It wasn't quite a shade of pink, but it wasn't a solid red either as it would have drawn too much attention to the eyes. Though the height difference between the twelve year old Ravel and the aged Queen of her father, who was a tall man to begin with, wasn't too great that walking down next to each other was a challenge, it was clear to see some comfortability in the way they were walking.

Behind the Lord and Lady were their peerage members; for Lord Rivalen, his Queen Lupambulus the [Witcher King] who was escorting Ravel down the stairs, his Knight Eugene Collach, the [Western Samurai], his first Bishop Aleister Crowley, the [Aeon of Horus], his second Bishop Catherine Montvoisin, better known as [La Voison], and his Pawn of Six, Tash Imdugud, son of the infamous Anzu Imdugud, the [Demon of Flame and Torrent]. And for Lady Rozalva, there was only myself.

Unlike the uniqueness in our respective master's clothing, all of us were dressed in plain black suits with white ties (except La Voison, who wore a white ball gown that would have been fashionable in the 1950's Western world). However, what was most noticeable was the light yellow-orange tie worn beneath, and the handkerchiefs worn in the breast pocket were orange and red in colour, for all of Lord Rivalen's servants that was. For me, the only difference, apart from the very strict combing that had been applied to my hair earlier that day following the match was that my handkerchief was blue and green.

It was strange, but even Tash, who looked like a skeletal bird with a human-like body, looked very smart in a suit and trousers.

Though the guests were many, it was only made up of High-class devils ranked Marquis and below; The Kings were a separate matter, as I have mentioned previously, but the Princes and Dukes were still considered of higher standing, and such a party was considered a declinable event, so none of them showed up.

As our group reached the bottom of the stairs and we the servants took a bow before the guest, we stepped to the side as Sebast called for the next of the Phenex household to descend.

"The Lord Rayzem Phenex, the Lady Zemele Phenex, the Lord Ramarh Phenex, the Lady Riana Phenex, and his entourage."

Instead of waving to the guests, Lord Rayzem nodded his head in all directions as he looked between guests watching as he, his wife, his peerage and two children walked down in each of their arms. Despite their children being almost five during this party, they still being relatively spoiled by their parents for being a birth that happens once in a thousand lifetimes.

In the same fashion as his father, Rayzem wore a matching suit, but skipped out on the excessive jewellery, but I did notice the very expensive looking cufflinks with the single ruby affixed in the metal on each of his sleeves. He had taken the day off especially for the match so that he could take his children to watch their first ever game, but it still didn't excuse him from the bags beneath his eyes. Though I will say they were smaller than usual, so he must have at least gotten a decent hours night of sleep. His left hand carrying his daughter Riana, who was wearing a simple dark green dress and shoes to match her mothers, sitting upon his arm with both her hands locked around his neck. And as with his parents, he walked down holding hands with his wife in his right.

Unlike Lady Phenex's dress, Zemele's was shorter at the bottom so she did not need to use a hand to hold it up as she walked, and neither did she amplify her heritage as part of the extinct [Dukes of Murmur], either out of consideration to the lower ranks of devils present or because of her pride as Rayzem's Bishop and wife respectively. She did however wear a small brooch on the fabric that hooked over her right shoulder, gold in colour with a griffin rampant upon it. Ramarh was seated in her right arm, in a small tuxedo of black, while only hanging on with one arm on her shoulder so he could watch the room engulf them as they drew in closer.

Behind them were Rayzem's peerage; his Queen Shiera Alsiel, his Knights Franzo Calcabrina and Ismelda Scarmiglione, his Rook Citch Adramelech, Bishops Kanam Alastor and Asyue Shaher, and Pawn of Four Kuickrow, better known as the [Four Armed Destruction King] and the only one in his peerage to take part in Rating Games.

There was supposed to be another Rook in his peerage, but we will get to that eventually. While I noticed the absence of this single piece, it would seem that Lord Rayzem had chosen to either ignore it for the time being, or he knew but would refuse to give reason to suggest something was amiss.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, the parents let their children down from their arms, albiet with some resistance from their son who was quite enjoying the higher view at his mother's eye level, but eventually consented when he found some other children of similar size among the crowd and decided he would go play with them, dragging his twin by the hand as he departed.

It was nice to see the twins proactive; high-class society isn't the most suitable place to be growing up as children. But, unlike Ravel at their age, they had each other, but they also had a few less liberties than you would have expected. _Twin devils are like a prized pair of jewels that one keeps close to their hearts_. I either heard someone say as such, or I may have read it, I don't recall exactly, but it was a clear summary of their situation.

As the two children vanished into the crowd, and their parents stepped aside with the rest of Rayzem's peerage, the next had already made its way to the top of the stairs.

"The Lord Riser Phenex, and his entourage."

Sporting his new look, replacing the large super seiyan hairstyle for one that I could only describe looked like a headless duck had seated itself upon his head, Riser stepped upon the stage to take in the opportunity. It wasn't that his new look was bad for his style, but the unpredictable nature of him exploring his look caught everyone by surprise.

I described the new hairstyle as nesting bird, which with the collection of hair that had two sweeping over the top of his ears on either side, with the third in the middle collecting into a small wolf's tail. If it hadn't been in his signature golden colour, I would have thought to be akin to a powdered wig worn in the 18th Century occident. Well, at least it matched his red and yellow outfit that looked like it came from the same era.

Following his descent was his [Bomb Queen] Yubelluna, Pawn of One Mira, Rook Xuelan, Pawns of One Ni and Li, First Knight Karlamine, Pawns of One Marion and Burent, Second Knight Sirus, and his Bishop Mihae.

And then, after having left the bottom of the stairs, the lights went dim for a moment as the final members of the house were about to make their triumphant introduction before the awaiting audience below.

"And lastly, the man of the hour to whom this feast we dedicate to; Current 7th Placeholder in the Underworld Rating Game Championships, the Lord Ruval Phenex, and his entourage."

At the roar of applause, the peerage of ten descended down the stairway, led by their King. Behind Lord Ruval was his Queen Junyspar who was a Dryad, his first Bishop Aikaterine, the daughter of the witch Circe, his Knight of Two Vissarion, his second Bishop Jean-Baptiste Alliette also called [Etteilla], his first Pawn of Two Hans Arampton, his first Rook Mythralr of Jotunheim, his Pawn of One Candice, his Pawn of Three Julio Rego, his second Rook Cacaxtla of the Tzitzimime, called the [Star Scorpion], and his second Pawn of Two Peter Rattenfanger von Hameln, descendant of the [Pied Piper of Hamelin].

Unlike all other servants and peerage members, who had been dressed in more modern suits and dresses, there was a great deal of variety and freedom in choice of clothing that they could adorn; Junsypar, next to her King, came in Roman styled white toga with a purple sash that complimented the slight greenish hue of her skin, and leaves of natural green and painted gold were sewn into her rich soil brown hair, though I suspected most were grown naturally.

In the second row, Aikaterine wore mostly dark shades of purples, blue and blacks with gold to compensate her milky albino skin, hair and ruby eyes, all in glorious medieval styled mage robes that hid her body figure. Next to her a step behind, Vissarion came in his former Imperial Russian military uniform, decorating himself with a few badges he earned in his life time on top of his dark green jacket, and two ceremonial Cossack sabres fixed to his sides.

Etteilla came dressed like The Fool as commonly depicted on his signature Tarot cards, but also wore a half mask to cover his right side behind a harlequin's smile. And next to him, Hans was dressed in the same long black jacket he wore to every occasion despite the tears that hung at his ankle line, and several belt-like straps that he wore across his body like he was trying to keep himself from breaking up.

Taking up the entire fourth row, Mythralr, having forcibly shrunk himself to an easier to enter height at 8'2'', wore black ice armour with a series of silver lacings that formed what looked like an attempt at formal chainmail to go beneath his usual clothes.

Only Candice and Julio seemed to wear something more familial to modern dress code, but their clothing was still quite outdated by two hundred and four hundred years respectively, but stood out more was that they continued to wear plate armour over their arms that clanked at they shifted down each step, and a more obvious eye catch was the pair of gold rings worn on Candice's left hand, and around Julio's neck by a chain that only recently appeared.

Behind the two, Cacaxtla wore a lot of bright coloured feathers and several draping ornaments of pure gold hung off him. Bare footed as he usually was, and showing off a lot of his bronzed skin, he constantly fidgeted with a lose piece of cloth that he couldn't do anything about as he would have cut it in half with the insectoid claws he had instead of hands. And lastly next to him was Peter, who appeared in a court musician's attire, but with the cape draped across his right shoulder and the flute wielded by his forbearer at his side in place of a weapon.

And Lord Ruval himself, who was leading his band of victors beside his Queen, was in full noble devil armour on top of velvet red fabics and the large cape with the Phenex symbol gleaming from it, that just as he had worn during the times of war and as he had always done in every rating game he participated in since his debut. The signature orange of the Phenex outlined the blacken metal, and the red beneath only highlighted the brilliance that was his warrior personage. The symbol of the clan upon his cape fluttered on its own like a victorious flag flying over the battlefield.

As the Band of Nine all lined up at the bottom of the stairs, the circle of people awaiting them became quite agitated. It was nearly the end of the ceremony, and soon the party and intermingling between devils with the Phenex Clan could begin.

With a glass of fire wine in his hand, Lord Rivalen raised it above his head before all the guest in his home. And then began the celebration toast directed to his eldest son and heir.

"To the victors, comes the feast!"

"Yiryhoy!"

With his response heard throughout the hall, all the guest present joined in unity.

"""Yiryhoy!"""

Having said cheers in harmonious choir, the official party could begin, which started with many guests swarming to crowd the new 7th place holder and the peerage who helped carry him there. It sounds cruel when I say it like this, but I was rather glad to see the attention being drawn away from me and unto Lord Ruval, which was to be expected none the less since it is his party after all.

I'll explain a little while later in better detail, but being the only peerage member in your party does make you feel a little exposed.

Though many people had been invited, I can only really remember the main nobility of the 72 Pillars who had all accepted the invitation to join in the gathering. Not because it wasn't allowed for other devils, but because each one of them were acting towards their own desires as you would expect;

Probably the best known was Lord Naud Gamigin, the 7th [Marquis of Gamigin]. He was well known as a commentator for the Rookie's Rating Game league, but was usually reserved for the finals due to his reputation of good judgement on the abilities, style and play-through of any devil participating just by watching them for a few minutes.

From what I heard from Rayzem, who worked closely with him at the same studio on a few projects here and then, even a few judging shows, which I was told to steer clear from for a few more years, that despite his flashy appearance, he was actually quite a reserved and quiet guy when his mouth wasn't next to the microphone. He was the last of the main family branch, and there were discussions he was thinking of adopting his great-nephew Bigear Gamigin as his heir, despite him being one of the most eligible bachelors in the Underworld.

Even coming to this party, he kept his silver eyes hidden behind sunglasses, and a set of headphones wrapped around his neck which slightly tugged into the length of his light red hair. Perhaps it was his 'confidence enhancer', but I guess that being a celebrity excused him for what would be considered poor dress manner, even if he was in a smart-. . . ish suit.

Lord Jarlus Amon, the 5th [Marquis of Amon], was present also, and had been a childhood companion to Lord Rivalen's father in their youths. His most notable feature was his slightly larger nose that he managed to cover up by growing a long moustache that hung like handlebars from his face. His hair was a mixture of white and blonde that complimented a youthful appearance with an aged mind-set that looked back at you through midnight blue eyes.

Yurolibar Amon, his daughter and heir was between Ruval and Rayzem's age, but looked younger than them both in appearance. Her hair was primarily blonde, but it was a golden blonde like the sun that slowly went to white at her roots, while the tips were more of an orange.

Iolava Amon, the younger child and son, looked to be at least nineteen when I first saw him, and I think he continued to age naturally when I next saw him during his participation at the Rookie's Rating game Tournament in 2008 CE. His betrothed Eneely Vassago was also one of the future contenders, but neither of the two seemed to be a match since Eneely was infatuated with the light blonde haired younger brother of Maou Beelzebub, Diodora Asteroth. Compared to the dark brown to dull yellow of Iolava's hair, that would have outed him as a delinquent in my home country, there was no competition between the two.

Though I must add this, the younger brother of Maou Ajuka's choice of . . . preference in females, was a bit of a controversy in later years when it became public.

Lord Tainton Naberios, the 4th [Marquis of Naberios] came dressed in traditional garbs worn during the times of the Old Maou, but after having lost his father, brother, sister, nephew, and own wife in the Wars against Heaven and the Old Maou faction, no one doubted where his allegiance lied. Despite the bright lime green of his hair and eyes, his had quite a dark visor about him, like hunter looking for small prey.

Ruzen-Riothama Naberios, better known as Ruri, was his daughter, and by law was still his heir until she wedded due to her younger brother Daikaizaren Naberios having already been shown capable of producing a child of his own, and had since been adamant to remain unmarried to prevent being pushed behind her brother in succession.

It's quite an old law, but it is still enforced by some devil families.

Her brother Daikaizaren, along with his wife Eksuv Naberios nee Berith, and Archen Naberios their child was still a babe of four years at the time, were here also. Unlike Ruri who shared all her features with her father, Daiken as his cousin would call him, took his mother's blue-green eyes rather, which his daughter had then inherited from him.

Serifo Naberios nee Balam, widow to Lord Taito's younger brother Kujou, came with their surviving child, Achanegh Naberios, who was around the same age as me. Unlike the main Naberios family, Achanegh inherited her mother's black hair and red eyes, as well as the Balam clan's inhuman strength alongside her father's clan ability to tame dogs. Just looking at her, you could tell she was a sad child, even without knowing that she had lost her father and brother before she could know them.

Lord Kharlyn Glasya-Labalos, the 1st [Earl of Glasya-Labolas], formerly 3rd [President of Glasya-Labolas] and his wife Lady Rosazu Glasya-Labolas nee Ipos were there, which was definitely noted by all those who were present. As the parents of the Maou Falbium Asmodeus, their being here had definitely caught a lot of attention, much like expected from the Gremorys, Sitris and Asteroths, expect their low nobility ranking made them an easier focal point, which many found desirable. Much like his son, Lord Kharlyn was bald, but had a balbo instead of a goatee.

With them was their son and heir, the younger brother of Maou Falbium, Uraxis Glasya-Labolas, who came dragging in his older cousin Zephyrdor Glasya-Labolas, son of Lord Kharlyn's late brother Boriator. Looking at the two of them, it was hard to tell they were related expect by their last names and similarity blue hairs (though Zephyrdor's was closer to being green), as his red skin tone and white streaks across his cheeks contrasted with the more natural looking deep tone the main Glasya-Labolas clan had. I presumed that Zephyrdor inherited it from his mother's family, but I am still unsure who that is, or was.

Lady Jotsarin Forneus, 6th [Marquis of Forneus], widow to Saidyno Cimaris, was the Head of her clan in her own right, having no elder brothers or uncles left in her family who were within wedlock, which left her unchallenged. She was what people would describe as a cool beauty, sweeping the attention of many elder and younger devils, combining her very thin body with large fabrics that look like they could fall from her, or something like that from what words I could mesh together from multiple sources that night. Despite having another century on her before even considering retiring, she remain faithful and didn't wish to remarry after losing her husband.

Her son however was different. Gragg Forneus was not a pretty sight to look at; taking the more hideous features from his father, his bulbing eyes, jagged predator teeth and protruding horn from his head made him look like an anglerfish in comparison. Though devils could change their appearances according to age at will, and it was in his father's blood to alter his bodily shape, neither of those options were available to the unlucky heir of Forneus.

Though in all honesty, his beastly attitude matches his features swimmingly, you could say.

Lady Dandilfa Furfur, 7th [Count of Furfur] was another female head, but had more trouble than it was worth from another contender for the title, Lord Onrayjoe Furfur, who was also her second cousin as well as husband. Though Lady Dandilfa was the daughter of the 6th Head, her relative Onrayjoe thought that it should be his for the taking, and thus a compromise of marriage between the two settled the matter. They still fight and argue, even doing so knowing in front of others and even their own children, but there is a dispute whether it's because they continue to hate or love each other that they are fighting.

Steypen Fufur, was their first child and in his seventies age wise, but twenty in appearance, holding on to Mathilgard Furfur his younger sister in his arms since she was still too young to begin walking. I do not know what the exact relationship between the two siblings are; whether they are like their parents (as humorous as one-sided it would sound), or if they were perhaps a substitute parent and child since he continued caring for her throughout the party. I only wish it doesn't evolve into another base form of sister complex. I feel that the Underworld has quite enough of them to cut cleanly through with a knife.

Stories about Lord Rotselrann Shax, 10th [Marquis of Shax], was a tragic figure after several horrible mishaps befell his family. His father was the 6th Marquis Styvannum, followed by his older brother Garaldha Shax the 7th, then his uncle Stanizba Shax as the 8th per his will, before his own nephew was the 9th Robarzeo Shax also kicked the bucket after a short time. A terrible series of events that no one is quite sure how to piece together, but many died in plots and in secret between the two major wars, with only the late Lord Styvannum's death being confirmed as being the result of the Old Satans. Nevertheless, the aged Marquis attended the party, but kept to his age, showing a much more elderly figure, but still had a lot of vigour in him.

His only family left with him was his heir Burla Shax, the daughter of his nephew, the 9th Marquis, who was nearly reaching adulthood, and as such was dressed in order to attract a suitable match since her father had died too young to organise one, and her mother had been resistant to lose her even to the current Marquis, and kept her sheltered until she was no longer able to keep her away from her duties.

Sir Raytorian Furcas, 1st [Earl of Furcas], Knight Chevalier and Grand Master of Malebranche was a splendid looking lord, even rivalling Ruval's attire in how well the metal armour suited him so. With a short cropped beard than never left his face, and light brown hair that shimmered like bronze in finest cobalt coloured dress, he looked like an ideal knight despite his age. Accompanied by his wife Lady Fatora Furcas nee Malacoda, who with her silver white hair and deep sapphire eyes, she looked young enough in appearance to be the silver princess next to her blue knight.

One of the many famous stories of the Underworld had been composed around their romance during the infamous coup d'etat in the Malebolge.

The elder daughter Klanvoyssa Furcas, and the younger son Beruka Furcas were with them, both also in armour, though did try to find the fine balance between formal wear and retaining their metal gear to satisfy both their parents. The heiress was golden white in hair that it almost platinum, with equalling strong gold eyes, while her brother who was fifteen had a natural orange-brown hair that didn't transition into ginger, while keeping the same blue in his eyes that he inherited from Lady Fatora.

Lord Ethad Oriax, 4th [Marquis of Oriax] and his wife Lady Lyaru Oriax nee Valefor attended as well, but I barely saw either of them unfortunately. My memory conflicts accounts as to whether I did meet them or not, but it had been quite late in the evening if it was so I refuse to make a definitive confirmation.

One devil that caught my eyes was Sarschi Oriax, their son and heir; he shared similar looking marks beneath his eyes that reminded me of Zephyrdor whom I had seen earlier, which made me propose that the two were closely related, perhaps even suggesting that Zephyrdor's mother was either of Oriax or Valefor descent at the very least. He was quite down during the party as Serenlif Oriax, his younger sister was absent from the party due to a high fever she had caught during her first trip into the Forest of Familiars, or so her parents had formally explained while he himself would not say a word.

Lord Paruton Valac, 1st [Earl of Valac], formerly 4th [President of Valac] was the only one who was absent and had declined the invitation due to prior engagements, and had also excused his wife Lady Penarya Valac nee Marchosias from it as well. What it was that kept them from the party if a mystery to me. Their two children however, Pouras and Storagay Valac, did arrive in their parent's stead from what I had heard from word of mouth, though they apparently didn't stay long which raised a lot of voices and conversations being made in their actions by some of the lesser devils who were attending.

The last of the guests to arrive was Lord Algernon Andrealphus, 2nd [Marquis of Andrealphus], and Lady Rozalva's father. He had inherited the title two millennia or so before when his father was killed before his grandfather chose to retire the title, and thus it lid itself on to him by chance as the 2nd Marquis. Unlike many other clans, Lord Algernon initially had trouble for many years with producing an heir and had been left worrying for more when the family of his younger sister, Rhoda Pruflas nee Andrealphus, had been wiped out one by one until the clan she married into were entirely exterminated all together. His first wife, Patrietta Andrealphus nee Andromalius died due to a weakened constitution when Thallo Andrealphus, their son was born, and his second wife Cassdraphine Andrealphus nee Berith, the mother of Lady Rozalva, had passed on after the Attack on Lilith in 1865 CE, along with quite a few many prominent devils.

To many's surprise was the appearance of Coriana Andrealphus, his granddaughter and Lady Rozalva's niece, the half-devil child of the former heir Thallo Andrealphus, and now the heir herself. She was tied into a difficult spot since her position would allow her to inherit as the last remaining heir of the Andrealphus clan after Lady Rozalva had been married off many cen-, . . . *ahem* years before, but since she was not a pure blood, her family would lose its standing in the 72 Pillars and go extinct as a result. Sad, but inevitable.

All this descriptive talk may seem like a useless endeavour for a mere servant, but knowing your potential allies and your potential enemies was essential for any noble family. But more importantly, as a servant, I was entitled to see more of a noble than another noble would since how you act to your superiors is different to how you act to your inferiors, and that is the key to learning the real people behind the ranks and titles they cling to.

 _If you summarized each clan by their family names, it becomes easier to deduce their objectives._ Probably one of the lesser qualities I was taught about devil society, and something it would take many more years to learn from and understand how the mind of the high-class function beyond what they appear. Based on memory alone and later analysis through hindsight, all the devils present were working as followed;

Gamigin was the friend of Lord Rayzem and an avid fan of Rating Games as a commentator, so as far as it was concerned, he had no ulterior motives by attending this part except out of good will. Neither did Lord Andrealphus since he was a close relative and the champion was his grandson after all.

Valac who barely made an appearance were looking to side with the Old King's Faction over the Maou's, which was why they had excused themselves since the Phenex had begun making preparations to side with the Maou through marriage. Oriax was also making such a move, but had chosen to do it more discreetly by accepting regardless. It was also the reason for why they hardly caught the attention of the room.

Amon and Glasya-Labolas were already apart of the Maou faction, so accepting the invitation was the polite thing to do for their new potential ally as upsetting them now could be consequential in the future. Also, purposely bringing their children also offered upon more options for potential marriages, which was also shared by the Naberios, Furcas, Forneus, Shax and Furfur clans as well. Though out the six, only Glasya-Labolas, Naberios and Furcas would even be considered as a beneficial comrade for the future;

Amon, who was already in the Maou faction, was still quite loose in terms of support so they were potential hazards, especially when given their previous marriages into pro-Old King supporters. Foreneus was an insult to be perfectly honest since the son was very uncivil and brutish in everything he did. And Shax was a problem in of itself, so there is no more point to explain it.

Glasya-Labolas was directly to the Maou, so there was more potential for strong blood ties, and Naberios and Furcas were historically loyal to family and allies respectively, even if they were more inclined to side with the Old Kings as they had once before. Despite that, there was strong belief the Naberios would never bite a friendly hand, nor would Furcas break an oath of alliance if one was solidified.

Even in such events, there is always more going on then what you see. Even if not to the Phenex, then marriages and engagements were being made and offered without restraint to each other whenever it was possible.

I felt there should have been more people here in such a large venue, but I found myself with relief that it wasn't unbearably crowded, allowing me to manoeuvre around.

As I was Lady Rozalva's Pawn, I was naturally inclined to follow her around during the party once she had separated from her husband. Ravel came with me, which I was grateful for since

As I had walked around the room, I could feel several eyes follow. The feeling was a mixture between observation and possibly greed; for Lady Rozalva to suddenly take on a piece was quite unlike her in all her . . . years, it was probably something worth looking at and creating gossip around. All of these eyes belonged to the high-class devils, so it was no wonder they would be looking in my direction. They could all sense my Sacred Gears power naturally roll off me like a very strong scent.

If it hadn't been for Aleister, Aikaterine and Etteilla, I wouldn't have been able to attend this party.

Though my dragon aura that naturally accumulated from Ddraig's presence couldn't be removed, the three of them applied a combination of magics from different areas to combat the 'leaks' in my body where the [Red Dragon Emperor's] aura vented out from. As long as Ddraig stayed asleep and I didn't attempt to summon my Sacred Gear, the seal should stay. Though only a masked spell, it did well to feign ignorance from many of the high-class devils who attended.

According to what I learned of it; " _as long as you don't know what you're looking for, how will you find it?_ " was the explanation to how it worked on these beings who had a great sensitivity to magic and power that naturally emitted from others in their vicinity in the same way a vampire could tell the quality of blood from a victim through an open wound without needing to taste beforehand.

Though nothing would be able to fan the smell of dragon away from me, it was enough to disguise Ddraig's presence from the room. Though I did continue to have my suspicions that many of the elder devils were more than perspective towards identifying more possibilities than the younger generations.

"Rosie, how are you my daughter?"

"I am well father, thank you for asking."

Of course, the first person Lady Rozalva would approach directly in the party would be her own father, who was reclining in one of the convenient chairs at the edge of the room which was prepared for the older or injured devils who were attending at any given time. Though magic and medicines were much more proficient in the Underworld than there were above ground, the wounds that were inflicting reflected in kind and some were not repairable. Likewise, the passage of time was quite cruel to devils who had not chosen to retire earlier than should have due to the stresses that come from the demands that accompany being the clan head for so long.

Though demonic power was always in abundance due to dark emotions always being present in sentient beings whether someone knows of it consciously or not, making sure many legions of devils and civilians in your territories gets their needs fulfilled would cost a lot of energy in itself and there was only so much one could bear the brunt of it.

Around three thousand years of heading the Marq of the Andrealphus clan had taken its toll on him, which was another reason for him bringing in Coriana to the party.

"I wish I could say the same. These may have been the same bones that struck down that blasted angel Damabiah from his high horse, but time doesn't favour the experienced."

"You've been complaining about your old bones for centuries. Surely a few more wouldn't hurt them any further."

The grandfather laughed at Ravel's retort to his response. Ravel had remained close to me and her mother since this party officially started. She had never had much of an opportunity to interact with other devils her age due to there being a lack of many born around the same age as her, or were of high-class or pureblood. It was also delayed further by my arrival as well unfortunately since there was no need to risk my discovery being made to the wrong ears after Maou Sirzechs had remain silent to the greatest of fortunes on the matter.

Since she knew no one except for me, she was quite clingier than usual when all these unknown people started to swarm into her home, which I found very acceptable. She had been insistent to at least have hold of me even if it was by the jacket I was wearing since letting go from Lupambulus, but I offered her a hand instead.

Albeit, I should mention there was some comfortability doing so, as Ravel seemed hesitant at first, showing a lot of embarrassment as she proceeded to conflict with herself whether to accept my hand or not, but once she had she was insistent never to let go. I also still felt a little uneasy having still been newly reincarnated and the evil pieces thumping in my chest was a sensation I couldn't quite get used to just yet.

I didn't know if it was just from seeing her confidence restored, or generally happy to be holding my hand, but I did feel a sudden stop in the heartbeats of all the pieces for a brief moment, like they had skipped a beat of their own free will.

"You still have that sharp tongue on you since the last we met. Hello, my little bird. It's has been a while."

"It has. Hello grandfather, it's a pleasure to see you again."

As Ravel politely lowered her head in respect to her grandfather, the moment was broken by a repetition of tutting by said person.

"That's not right. You know you're supposed to call me 'Bubby' like you always did."

" . . . I-I . . . I . . ."

Bubby was the nickname that Ravel used to call her maternal grandfather when she was very young in order to differentiate him from her paternal grandfather, the former Lord Azuclon Phenex who had been in retirement for nearly five centuries. Though Ravel had tried to act more mature by dropping the name when addressing Lord Algernon, he didn't seem to like this change, especially after he still called her by the pet name he had always called his daughter's children.

It was definitely not the strangest names given to an elder. I won't say who, but one of the old leaders bears the nickname of "Kadonk" for particular reasons.

". . . I-I . . . I . . . uhhh."

Having been forced into retreat in embarrassment, Ravel lowered her reddened face. In my own attempt to support her, I tightened my grip on her hand, even raised it a little to remind her that we were still connected. As a future member of her peerage, and was going to be her only one for a while, it was only right that it would be me who would support her in all her endeavours.

But, unfortunately, I only made it worse it would seem.

The moment that Lord Andrealphus saw what I was doing, his old mind easily pieced together thousands upon thousands of thought processes until his wisdom summarized a pretty accurate brief on the situation. Just goes to show the power that comes from an . . . experienced devil.

"Oh, I see how it is. Hehehe."

The moment he started laughing, I too shared in the embarrassment since it was now directed towards me as well. My mind fluttered through if there was a way to defuse the situation, but every route had a bad ending, that would constitute in only furthering the focal point.

So, I eneded up mimicking Ravel and struck my head downwards as she had done earlier. My only mistake in this was turning my head away slightly while still keeping my eyes on her. Rookie mistake, even if I was only thirteen at the time.

"I suppose it's reaching that time her life when she becomes more aware of herself, isn't it."

"That it is, father. Girls often do mature quicker than boys, as I'm sure you remember of Thallo's obliviousness to other girl's affections."

"Oh-ho, that boy really was a dense one. Had he only remembered that it was part of his charm, he wouldn't have needed that blunt confession to see just how strong his ability to wield our clan ability was without him realising."

As mentioned earlier, Thallo was the older brother of Lady Rozalva and the previous heir to the Andrealphus clan, until his untimely death before Coriana was even born. Though he wasn't spoken of much, he was best remembered as a [Bonnie Prince], quite handsome to say the least, and had attracted a lot of attention from many females that everyone knew about except for himself, some of which may have been influenced by his clan's ability. Probably one of the few devils to have a harem but never even realised it.

The hereditary ability of the Andrealphus clan was {Corona Amora}, which similar to the abilities of the Incubi and Succubae demons raised the opposing being's infatuation for the user of this ability which often leads to their thoughts being distracted and leaving them open to attacks. Lord Algernon himself was said to have sent many angels literally falling for him at the height of his power. Though the difference between his clan ability to the lust inducing magics was that it served more as a distraction and thus created a lack of awareness rather than desire for distraction which is why it was so effective.

It was also for having inherited it that Coriana, his only child, had been chosen to succeed rather than a pure-blooded devil of relation taking the mantle in her place. Though there had been rumours that Riser may have been a candidate to succeed their grandfather as Riser Andrealphus because Ruval was heir to Lord Phenex, Rayzem was the father of twins who may end up inheriting the lands of the Murmur clan, and Ravel was most likely to marry into another family. Coriana's official appointment, and Riser's engagement to Rias Gremory had quelled those rumours swiftly as they rose.

As my head found the confidence to return to the party and not to the floor or in other places, I looked up only to find that Lord Andrealphus was still staring at me. Only now he had chosen to stand rather than sit and came to approach me, while his granddaughter clutched his robes, and his other granddaughter held my hand firmly as well.

He attempted to bend down, but there was some serious uncomfortability in his action. I guess stories of him surviving the battle against his bane with only a broken back were not unfathomed.

"You must be the boy my daughter has taken into her household, I presume."

Suddenly on the spot when I was like this did not do well for my demeanour, which caused me to fumble over such a simple question.

". . . U-um, it's a pleasure to meet you, L-Lord Andrealphus. I am Hyoudou Issei, my Lady Phenex's Pawn."

"Hmm, there is still a bit of grammar problems, but I am impressed to hear you speak unaided by those Evil Pieces inside you. I suppose this was my granddaughter's choice to teach you, no?"

"U- . . . it was, my lord."

I was generally quite shocked that he managed to pick up on that; despite now having the Evil Pieces inside of me, speaking Deftodiz wasn't a problem as I had learnt to do it for over three years thanks to Ravel's help, as well as reading and listening. In fact, speaking was the one area in which I never needed to use it, with reading being used on unfamiliar words, and the listening was a great help during quick paced conversations between natural speakers.

For him to be able to pick up that I was not using the system like that and to recognise that I had been learning, much less from his granddaughter was quite amazing. Mayhaps he had received correspondence on what Ravel may have been up to in the last three years, whether by first person or second person accounts. But, something so tiny was probably nothing noteworthy for a long serving lord such as he.

"It won't be long now until you make your own debut in the rating games if I'm not mistaken."

"Not until she's at least in a high school level age, father."

"Why? Back in the day, many devils joined the games once they received their evil pieces. I remember the day that Rayzem first joined at thirteen even though he had no long term interests in it."

"I think that was him merely seeing if he was as talented as Ruu was. But, it wasn't for him at the end of the day. The Rookie's league was just too much for him at his age. I even made sure to withhold Rai from joining until he was an official adult for the sake of giving him the time he needed to decide if it was the path he wanted."

"Well, he did win with quite the advantage, so I see no fault in your logic, Rosie."

"It's a mother's logic, that's why."

There were four concurrent leagues of Rating Games that were played annually in the Underworld; Ethylesiz (Rookie, or closer in translation to Amateur), Hlahirfosal (Champion, but has a closer meaning to Defender), Hletoleiz (Prefect or Premier), and finally Idseta (Ultimate).

Originally the games started in the Champion's League, where according to history, the two parties would fight each other to settle a cause like at trials or duels, usually with their servants against servants. This was until the reformations under the New Satans, which established a chess-like system we see today where a team would fight to knock out the opponent's King to achieve victory. This new system worked out well and eventually new rules were put into place to make it the games we see to this day.

When new devils attempted to join, but found themselves too inexperienced, the Rookie's league was established to allow first time players to gain experience against one another before jumping into battles with more experienced teams, but only a set number of eight teams are allowed per year, which made quite the spectacle resulting in the Young Devil's gathering being formed as a national wide event.

And, much later on, when experienced players grew bored of fighting teams of weaker opponents, the Premier League was set up to keep the stronger teams together as not to make every game a clean sweep for the top players. If a team is defeated seven times in a row, they get demoted back to the Champions League, and vice versa occurs when a team wins seven time in a row in the Champions League.

And finally, there is the Top Ten players in the Ultimate League. The only way to enter is by beating the current 10th position holder, and you may only challenge the team one place above or below you in an official match. Other matches can be organised, but none of it will be officially considered a recognised professional victory.

To say that ravel was too young to start the games was a good call, since her only servant was me. I may be the [Sekiryuutei], but at my age and inexperience, there was no way I could be of much help in achieving victory against opposing teams who might have been withholding for a few more years until they had enough players.

And not that Lord Andrealphus knew, or might have known, I had to continue to hide my presence as a Longinus user for a while longer still.

"My lady. It dare hope I haven't interrupted your reunion with your lord father have I?"

At this point, a third noble joined the talks; the 1st [Earl of Furcas], Sir Raytorian Furcas KC. KM. and his young son Beruka was also with him. To say that I was a little stunned to see two real knights before my eyes was quite the shock. Unlike the other Knights I had seen in the household, they were dressed similar to the ones in Fairytales from Europe, and as many people would perceive a knight to be appear.

They were even carrying swords at their sides which made the whole experience that more exciting, even though Beruka's was deliberately blunted as I would later discover.

"Oh, not at all Sir Raytorian. And please, there is no longer a need to speak with such words, you have long since risen from the ranks to be needing to speak upwards to me."

"My apologies, Lady Phenex, I was merely-"

"Cut that sort of talk, Lord Furcas. I think it would be best if we let the children leave before they grow bored of us."

Lord Andrealphus sudden snap at him caught the knight off guard which was probably not the first for him. As his family had only once been Landed Knights rather than lords, they had been talk down on for quite a long while, but now being spoken as a Lord on top of that was probably quite something he had to get used to when talking to the previous generation.

Luckily, he managed to regain just as quickly as he seemingly lost it.

"Right you are. I do apologise for thinking without consideration. Beruka, would you mind escorting your juniors around the party?"

"As you command, father."

Giving his father salute seemed to give the father and daughter Andrealphus quite the amusement. If their appearances hadn't been a giveaway to their relation, then their laughs would have been a more evident sign as both followed the same sort of chuckling patterns between laughter and breathing pauses.

"Oh, Raytorian, you still cannot give up that habit. Ravel, Issei, would you be so kind as to keep Coriana company? Both I and Lord Andrealphus would appreciate it."

"Yes, mother."

"O-f course. My lady, I will."

"Good, now run along now. Oh, and please mind your manners as you go now."

Leaving the adults to their discussion was easier said than done than how Lady Rozalva had said it would be so; though Coriana had been a bit hesitant to leave her grandfather's side to walk around with complete strangers in a room dominated by even more strangers, she was easily swayed by her cousin's intentions of goodwill and eventually gave in to her insistent persuasions. But that was after a little tug-of-war for five minutes between refusal and acceptance which I shall spare you the details of.

As we departed from our respective families, or in my case my King, our company of four made our way into the bigger scene.

As we traversed through the crowds and across the hall, my Evil Pieces were sending various translations of voices that reached my ears even when I could barely hear them to begin with in their native tongue. The floods and floods of information in Japanese erupted in my mind as I tried to keep my attention on where our band of younglings moves in which ever gap we could find.

"Look at those children."

"Lady Ravel, I see."

"The youngest takes after her mother I see."

"So do all the children though, but the {Regeneration} ability is still stronger in the younger generation."

"Lord Ruval's match was truly awe inspiring."

"Do you see who is with her?"

"Yes, the son of the [Blue Knight] Raytorian Furcas."

"Beruka, I believe his name was."

"Oh, he really does have the same eyes like the [Silver Princess]."

"It's like a Fairtytale ending seeing a son with both parent's features looking so handsome."

"Who are those two with them?"

"I believe that's the halfling Lord Andrealphus brought with him."

"Don't talk like that! She is to be the next head of the Andrealphus clan."

"A half-blood? Can it true?"

"Yes, though they will no longer be a member of the 72 Pillars that's for certain."

"Can such an offspring bear the responsibilities and command thirty legions?"

"We shall have to wait and see."

"And, um . . . see that boy."

"That boy? Who is he?"

"Dare say I never saw him before."

"He's just a Pawn I hear."

"Oh, well I guess that does not matter."

"Yes, just a Pawn."

I didn't listen anymore after that. But I never forgot those words that I had heard. Even while Ravel started finding fun stuff to occupy her that evening, dragging Coriana around with her as she went looking for things that would make great entertainment, with Beruka following on to ensure their safety.

I was following too, but my thoughts were in another place.

I had only one thought carved on my mind as the party continued on through the night.

 _I'm just a Pawn._

Even when the four of us found times to play, even finding a few more faces to join in our recreation, it lingered in my mind.

 _I'm just a Pawn._

In the several exchanges that flew across and between us, though my own contributions were minimal at best, and in the smiles, the cheers, the laughter that was shared. I wore a mask for the rest of that evening with that single though in my head.

Because . . .

 _I'm just a Pawn._

* * *

"Lunge, Issei! I said Lunge, not parry!"

It had been three days after the party, but the words had never left my ears nor my thoughts. Sometimes they even invaded my dreams. Even during times like these when my focus needed to be open, I was closed.

"You're dead" Eugene declared as he struck my padded chest plate with his wooden katana. If it had been a real sword and I was wearing proper armour, that strike would have pierced my heart no doubt about it.

"Sacre bleu, I've put so many holes in you I might as well call you Emmental."

His cheese joke aside, he was right to have made the comparison; though I had asked specifically to receive sword training from the [Western Samurai], I had been doing very poorly. It wouldn't have looked so bad if I had actually been paying attention, but a swordsman like him notices more in combat then he does in conversation, so he wouldn't let this us.

As the blow was retreated and he retook his stance, I tried to shake the thought from my brain. Beginning again, he continued to lecture me while trying to convince me to fight with my head in the game.

"When striking your enemy, you have to hit through them. If you hold back and refuse to make that killing blow, your enemies will kill you before you can reconsider."

 _But I'm just a Pawn_

Attacking two handedly in my direction, Eugene continued to make several easy to read strikes to keep me in the zone so to speak, and to not dishearten my efforts. When I started in the first day, it had only been a few practises swings without any real aggression behind it. The second day however had been an entirely different; with killing intent suddenly being thrusted into necessity, it was a much more hard working session than the last.

To me at the time, it felt like I was being made to sprint after barely learning to crawl.

With attacks being brought across and above from every angle possible, he lectured as he attacked.

"Sword fighting means showing your mettle. Show your opponent that you are not afraid to hit them. If they see you resist that mind set, they will knock your guard down and that will be the end."

 _But I'm just a Pawn_

"Guns lack this subtle beauty in their execution, but they have the same demands. If you can't aim to kill, then you will be the one to die."

 _But I'm just a Pawn_

"Mercy is an honourable trait only afforded by the strong, but even they know that even the weakest opponents will kill them if they cannot show their willingness to kill."

 _But I'm just a Pawn_

As much as I was trying to listen to him, the voices and the mockery that plagues me would not rest in peace. It snickered and spat and all of that. It continued to whisper cold siren words into my ears while wrapping its dead, decrepit fingers around my heart and brushing my Evil Pieces. I lost my sense of what was incoming right in front of me.

"One last lesson for today:"

The battle of the mind was warring on my senses, and I failed to see the last attack coming as it did.

"Think too much, and you lose. If you can't settle your thoughts, then you'll never be able to read your opponents moves and you will . . ."

 _Just a Pawn_

". . . DIE!"

*SMACK*

I fell backwards, rubbing my sore forehead as I recovered from the fatal blow.

A direct hit to the face. A blunt instrument it may have been, but the pain inflicted continued to sting prolonging even after applying ice to it.

"That's all for today, I must attend to Master Rivalen soon. You're next instructor is Aleister, you'll find him in his study on the second lower floor."

It wasn't just Eugene I was learning from, and this wasn't merely learning qualities of a Knight. I was also learning from all of Lord Rivalen's peerage; Lupambulus was teaching me the qualities of a Rook since the Lord had none of his own, but would often give over the lesson to Tash in order to teach me how to use {Promotion} on top of that. And then I had alternating teachers for Bishop qualities from Aleister and Catherine, depending on whichever one was free at the time.

After bowing before my sensei and taking my leave, I made my way down the stairs to the lower floors. I could tell you how many rooms and floors were in this mansion, but you would never believe me. The walls were older than most of the nations of the world and yet they always looked spotless. The lower floors were made of grey stones that looked like they were fresh from the quarry and newly placed, but that wasn't the case at all. Torches lit the underground and it had every impression of a Medieval castle below ground, but everything about it never gave off a scary miasma when walking across the red carpets draped in the centre of the corridors.

 _Just a Pawn_

That was all I could think about while nursing my injured head as I walked to my next lesson.

Ravel was out for the last few days, but I was never told why except that I needed to start learning how to be a Pawn, and it was how Lord Ruval had said it would be; a lot of work. Since I had no specialist quality to work on, I had to work extra hard in all areas. But, I was lonely without Ravel, and this was the first time I started feeling this.

I knew that she had to leave on occasions; to visit relatives, for tutoring outside of the home, and other such tasks, but she never left for the entire day let alone days at a time. It weighed heavily but I was clueless to why this was. Having these Evil Pieces inside of me made my heart reactions appear stronger as if they resonated and copied its actions whilst living encased within my soul.

I think this was my lesson. To learn that I was now a low-class devil, and that things were now changing.

 _Just a Pawn_

"Is it that time already?"

Subconsciously, I had already opened the door to Aleister's private study room and closed it behind me when he finally noticed my presence. I nodded to his question in response . . . however, I'm unsure if that is true as I had tuned out most of my actions that day for mental reasons.

"You'd think after a century of biological immortality, I would realise just how fleeting time can really be. Oh well; people come and people go, and others keep on going forever."

He often talked to himself, because he thought that " _an intelligent man always needs a person of equal intelligence to speak to, and most of the time it ends up being themselves_ ". Even when other people were around, he would often continue thinking aloud as he was used to doing.

He often liked to make up personal quotes to himself as the previous two that have come by. Whether it was a hobby of his he picked up after becoming a devil or something he may have always been doing but was now unknowingly doing it was not something I am able to openly discuss.

 _Just a Pawn_

"Resuming from last week . . . oh yes; Teleportation."

As he scattered through his equipment and notes whilst simultaneously worked through other things all at once, he remembered what he had been teaching me last week.

I say teach, but he handed me a book the first lesson I had from him, which was two days ago not a week, and then yesterday I had a proper instruction from Catherine because he was working on new contracts or so I was told. I was used to his thinking being disorientated, but this was little much for me, especially in the state I was experiencing. I felt like I was aloof.

 _Just a Pawn_

He pushed his desk aside and made room for there to be a magic circle to erect for the purpose of the lesson. Since devils are in need to be in places quickly and often have to avoid using doors to evade suspicions that may lead to being executed by the church, teleportation was the easy solution. Quick entry, and no one except the present know of its happening.

"Like with all devil magic, it is a requirement built upon thought and imagination. The simplest steps are to create the circle, step inside and then imagine your location."

 _Just a Pawn_

Maps and circles flew on the floor after a desperate attempt to move them to a safer location, causing him to make rude remarks in some language that didn't register in the translation system implanted in my Evil Pieces. Perhaps, it was a secretive form of speech occultists or magicians used that not even devils had heard of.

"You won't always have Ddraig's {Boost} to amplify your magic, so it's best to learn your limits on how much you can use, and then work your way into using less each time."

Perhaps if he had paid better attention to my state of mind, he might have noticed that I was barely keeping focus on the lesson. But he didn't. Not that I can be judgemental when I was not quite paying the right amount of attention towards his lessons either.

 _Just a Pawn_

"To start, try imagining your bedroom. Think not just about the location from where you are, imagine the details, where you should appear, and then start constructing a road connecting the two places. Think like an escalator, at that once your step on it you'll reach the other side."

My bedroom.

It was just something that simple was it.

But it wouldn't be.

I remember that I had made my way into the middle of the circle as the orange light filled the room and then I think I was remembering my room, describing over every detail I could, and then the magic circle took me.

But, my imagination was not as accurate as I thought it was when I opened up my eyes.

* * *

I found myself not in my room. It was far too small and too . . . modern to be my room. There was no double doors that opened both ways, but one that was alone and not even a wooden colour but painted in white.

It's handle was not gold, but a dull brass like something that would never be touched by the upper class hands.

As I trailed my eyes around the room, I felt tears well up in my eyes as I continued to observe and bring my mind back into reality from a false one that chained my senses away from the world.

This small space was tear-jerking. But I was so light now, and full of relief.

This view from the window. It was of a street and not of yards of open garden and rural landscape, but of small complied houses and streets with cars openly travelling to and from in every direction possible.

The sky, it was the real deal. Dark orange as the real sun was sinking below the horizon and the clouds were becoming near invisible as no light was touching them when the darkness began to sweep over them.

I was home. I was in my old home.

Yes. It was my room. My room in my house.

I was in Japan again.

At the corner furthest from the door, there was my bed with my alarm clock on the window sill behind. In the corner was my desk where I did my homework and built my Gundam models.

A laughed a little when I saw the half completed RX-78GP01 Gundam "Zephyranthes" that I had been working on during a couple of weekends before I left this place.

My bed still had the same Dragonball-Z covers that I was starting to grow out of. I chuckled at how stupid I had been to say that I was growing out of it and didn't need themed bed covers like these anymore, while my Mum just ignored me and changed them regardless of how mature I thought I had been.

The curtains were the same, but they were Kamen Rider themed instead, with the 10th anniversary re-release characters printed across it in all manners of fighting poses. I even pulled it across my window just to see them all again.

At my desk was my Gameboy, and under it was the '64 I could only plug in on weekends in the morning or in the holidays if mum and dad were too busy. I even still had the link cable and spare controllers that Irina couldn't take with him when his moved away.

All these memories, still here, after all this time.

That was when I realised; it was strange that all this was still here. I was sure it was all gone, and that the house was gone too. So why was it still here I wondered. I had no other relatives, so they wouldn't have left this house unoccupied for so long before selling it off. Could I legally still own this house I thought, until I realised how ridiculous it sounded that the government would let a child who went missing still be regarded as a responsible enough adult to own property. I don't even think I was even paying the tax for this place.

This thinking only led to more questions. I remember I still had the key to this place, and a key to a storage unit where our stuff was being stor-

 _The keys_

I remembered the keys I had when I was left with little possessions. I had left them from my thoughts for years, but now that I remembered, I had forgotten where they went. Did I still have them, or did I leave them behind.

No. That was impossible. I had them with me all the time when I was still a human in Japan. Even the day I first met Ravel, I had them on me. I could never leave them behind, no matter what situation I was in.

Then, there was a sound.

*CRASH*

I ceased moving. A jar, or something glass smashed on the floor downstairs, I was sure it was. Every sound fell dead when it broke the air, and I stood still as a scared animal in the face of an oncoming vehicle on the road.

"H-hello! Anyone here?"

I panicked a little. I knew there was someone here. Maybe it had been an animal I had thought, but my house was locked up, so no animal surely could have entered and made that large a noise while remaining silent for much longer. If it had been a rodent, it would have made more sounds I thought to myself.

I felt scared now. Just scared though, but that was the extent at the moment as I would later find out that it could get much, much worse.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

"Ddraig, I'm going to need you."

 **["I've got you back. Proceed with caution."]**

I thought I was probably worried for nothing, but having Ddraig with me was reassurance. If it was something that I couldn't handle, then I needed him to be with me or I would crack under the pressure too easily. I couldn't afford to be

I just had to suck it up and apologise to the three Bishops who put the seal on Ddraig for having broken it less than a week after receiving it.

I started to leave my room, cautiously looking into every corner and shadow in the house, which being that the sun was close to gone was quite the feat. I still knew my way around the place, so navigation was not a problem. It was my house after all.

"P-P, I know you're here. P-please, tell me who you are?"

"REd drAGoN."

A voice finally spoke back. It was in the kitchen. It was all sorts of disorientation; the tone, the speech pattern, it was like its throat was melting as it was speaking. The gravelyness, the chokes and splutters in it were like the amalgamation of several different speaking at the same time.

I turned my head and proceeded to draw in closer to the location via the alternate door from the corridor. I dared risk being over exposed in the living room area.

"Y-you . . . know who I am."

I continued to talk to voice, hoping to calm my own fears, and also to allow Ddraig to build up my {Boosts} before I faced this potential threat who had invaded my childhood home. I was up to around five boosts already, but I hadn't grown enough to handle more than seven. I did partake in a few lessons with a few of Riser's pawns even before reincarnation in order to get a better grip on my Sacred Gear.

It wasn't just for my benefit, a lot of the family were curious to see just how strong a Longinus could be in its default state without external interferences.

 **["{Burst!}"]**

That was the call that I had reached my limit of six. Though yes, I did manage to get five when I took down Chol, which was due to Ddraig's intervention and not my own power, but at this level I wouldn't faint the moment it resets. If worse comes for worse, I'll suffer a little physical depravity for a short time as a result of sudden loss of power, but I should still be able to run after an attack.

"yeS. I sERve mY MAsteR.

"Master?"

When the voice called back, it announced that it served someone, which suddenly caught my interest. I started thinking that it must be a stray most likely and started putting uop my guard.

That was until the voice replied who it was it served.

"yEs. RaYZEm pHenEx. hE iS The ONe I SErvE."

Imagine the shock on my face when I heard her speak the name of her King and master.

"You serve Lord Rayzem?"

"YeS. i HAvE seRVEd My MASter fOr mANY yeArS."

My brain started ticking back. Should I have know who this was, surely? I had been a guest for three years already and I had met everyone. I even knew the names of the servants or that least the most that I had seen and interacted with over the years. Which one was it, which I could think of, was this devil? And then I suddenly thought back to only three days ago to the party. We were all supposed to be present, but I had the gut feeling that someone was missing when we all descended down those stairs.

The missing Rook. I remembered looking at Lord Rayzem's peerage and thinking it was incomplete. It should have been an even number walking down the stairs, but it ended up being that three of his peerage were walking down by themselves which seemed very odd in terms of organising such a grand entrance. Riser got away with having his walk in a diagonal shape for more impact, Lord Ruval's was a row by row formation, and the Lord and Lady Phenex had their servant walk on the same sides behind their Kings to differentiate the two peerages.

Surely, I had thought, that Ruval was more responsible than that for allowing his entrance to appear so chaotic in comparison.

"Why don't you come out? I think it would be better if we stuck together until we got back."

It probably sounded ridiculous since this devil was obviously older than I was, but I was stupid to confuse the obvious signs of overindulgence for suffering. I was trying too hard to prove myself in this situation even while that one though still pulsed through my brain.

I should have clicked quicker, I should have reacted faster, but no matter how much I take action in reflecting with hindsight, there will always be many thing I should have done but never got round to doing.

My next clue came for her next words, and yes I was sure at the time it was a her.

"nO, NO, no. I cAN't dO tHaT. I cAn'T EvER gO back."

"Why? Why can't you come back. I'm sure everyone misses you."

I still didn't enter the kitchen at this point, but my hand was ready at the door just for the right opportunity I was wanting to reach. My legs were still shaking a little, but I couldn't process why at the time. I should have taken a better note of my new devil senses, and how much more sharper and perceptive they were to the dangers that exist in the world that humans have become numb and ignorant to.

"What's my name?"

"Beg pardon?"

"SaY iT. I wANt tO HeAR mY NAmE. SAy iT."

The odd request came out of nowhere and caught me off my guard. I nearly knock the door over with my enhanced power thanks to

Ddraig remained silent for a while that I nearly forgot he was still here.

'What do you think?'

['Partner, if knew what to do with women in this situation, do you really think I would still be so quiet at this point?']

'I suppose you're right. This is my call then, is it?'

['Better you than me; last time I misread a situation, I got a Dragon Queen hunting my hide for the rest of eternity. My advice, don't blow it.']

Taking Ddraig's word to heart, I tried to think for a while. Such a request needed a bit of thinking upon. I had seen her before, so I tried to remember her face or something. I knew she was a Rook, so I tried to zone in on her based on what I could remember, which was difficult since I rarely saw many of the peerage members due to many of them having achieved external duties behalf of their Kings respectively.

I could picture her after removing everyone else from the picture; pale pink and blue hair that unnaturally transitioned into various stripes like a mixture of candyfloss. I think she wore glasses despite devil's having excellent eye sight, but they stood out as large and round with hardly a visible frame supporting them. Her face was youthful but it had some obvious maturity to it, and she often wore outfits that were monochrome and tight against her figure, which I presumed was to avoid getting caught by her clothing in close combat.

It was then that her name rolled off my tongue.

"S-Sayanna?"

". . ."

"Sayanna's your name, am I right?

She didn't answer. I thought that I couldn't have been wrong. I was sure it was right. That was the name that she was addressed by if I had the person right. If I remembered, she was the only member of his peerage, except Kuickrow who was a descendant of the Vidyaraja and not a natural devil from birth, to have no last name, so it was quite easy to distinguish her name out of all of them

". . . um, are you ok? Sayanna?"

"no."

Her voice changed from its gravel into an echo. It almost seemed quite ghostlike in her she said it, so I barely caught what she said the first time.

"No?"

"nO!"

This time wasn't. It frightened me so much that all the colour washed from my body and I slipped backwards from the response. She sounded angry, but I couldn't think why at the time. I thought I was doing right by responding to what she wanted, but I only made her mad which was confusing me as much as it was scaring me also.

"Sayanna?"

"NO! THaT'S nOT My NAMe!"

*CRASH*

Something else was broken, but behind the door I was blind to such an action. Though, it wasn't like I was in a position to be worrying about what wooden furniture was being smashed when my focus was on the potential danger I was not subconsciously sensing from the devil behind a closed door.

"What? But everyone call's you that? That's your name."

"tHAT IS nOt mY NamE! ThaT iS'Nt iT! NOt MY name!"

I rolled over into the corridor in the nick of time.

I don't know if I was going to be naturally in tune with the situation, but that roll probably saved my life from ending to early this night, as the door was smashed in and the corridor was raided by a large figure that broke down the door and entered into the washing area where the remnants of the washing machine and dryer were stored for as long as I could remember.

I think she also destroyed the downstairs toilet in her attempt to lunge through the door.

And, my word, the sight of her was not what I had expected.

As she came into the light now as part of the wall caved in and allowed the high risen moon in, I could see everything; her candyfloss hair was torn and shredded and lost all its colour into a greyish bone mesh littering her head. Her legs and clothes were gone, left instead by a sluggish form that puked liquid all across the floor to allow her mobility across a flat surface. Her arms were now a pair of scythes with real metal in them, or at least silvery reflective claw-like appendages. The worst part was her face, with a mouth at snapped sideways and a thousand tiny eyes that looked beady and red as if they had been soaking in a cranberry bush with brambles of stitches half snapped across her cheeks and forehead.

And when she opened her mouth to speak, green smoke trailed out of it like a gaseous fumigation pipe that was broken and splintered.

"KiLl, I aM GOinG TO kill yOu!"

She struck her claws together and the blades vibrated within her reach while she adjusted her posture to charge at me again. It was so in tune it was like it was singing. And then it struck me;

 _Of the foulest of fogs, a singing sword, a hurtling of blood-curdling, the swimming stokes across red wood, and then the night coming to claim what was left._

Her breath was a fog that was most foulest.

Her swords were singing as they cleaved together like a chef preparing a prime cut of meat in a gourmet restraint.

Blood was hurled everywhere, in which the red slime was splattered as it rolled off her grotesque body, and now the floors were red as well.

But it was her shadow now, so large that it eclipsed the moon from view that now its darkness reached over me as her posture started extending upwards against the ceiling.

My mind stopped as I processed all this.

I was stone.

I was ice.

I was stuck and frozen in place.

 **["Run!"]**

Though Ddraig tried to egg me on, it was by his, or should I say my hand, that I evaded the next attack. Overiding my control of my gear again, the dragon forced the gauntlet to grab my shirt and fling me across the corridor to avoid the attack. The beast now fell through the wall and eradicated my front door, but I was still alive. At the sound of smashing car alarms, my senses woke up again, and I realised I was still here.

 **["{Reset!}"]**

"ARHHH!"

At the moment the power left me, thanks to Ddraig's intervention causing me to lose the {boosts} I had accumulated thus far, I left a very sudden sharp pain, until I realised that my left arm was broken. The sudden force that flung me to safety had cost me my arm as it collided with the wall, leaving a great impression upon it that nearly broke through to the outside.

Unfortunately for me, my shoulder was also busted thanks to it, and standing up was a pipe's dream thanks to a numbness that erupted in my left knee that suffered damage also in the collision.

I turned my head back to where I had once been standing, and then the panic attack kicked in. Hyperventilation and chest pains began to take their course at the sight of the reddened wood on my floors and the toxic smog that was infecting the air.

That night. I was remembering that night. And I was scared again. I felt helpless and I was crawling in my fears. Blood was touching my feet, and then I felt it on my face. It was on my hands and I was seeing it again. My vision was blurred with water and it was also stinging in poison and it was all too much.

My Evil Pieces started hurting and then I wanted to die. It hurt so much and I hated it so much that I was scared. I didn't want to die here. I wanted to die. No, I couldn't think what I wanted. All I knew was the fear and it was terrifying.

I never thought for one moment that she killed my parents, but I could only think of so much, and now the figure I blamed in the darkness of my mind was now starting to look like her beastial form. It was coming for me and I couldn't do anything.

 _I am just a Pawn_

I stopped breathing altogether, the pain was too much. I choked on my throat but nothing came out. My mouth dried and my face washed everything from its surface. I couldn't cry out. I couldn't say a thing. I was shaking all over but couldn't move. I was in so much pain and I felt like my head was going to split open.

Not even the {boosts} were kicking in, as they kept on {resetting} as I wallowed in depravity.

 _Just a Pawn_

 **["Partner! Calm yourself!"]**

Ddraig's voice was aloud, but I could only speak through my mind. My voice was gone and my throat couldn't vibrate a sound from itself.

'I-I-I-I can't! I can't Ddraig, I Can't!'

 _Just a Pawn_

 _Just a Pawn_

 **["If you want to live, you must calm down! At this rate, your heart won't be able to handle the strain, nor will your conscience! If you pass out here, you will die, so calm yourself!"]**

The pain was so intense. I felt a great thump like eight hammers in my chest, corresponding to the single jackhammer drilling away so harshly in my ribs. I coughed blood and everything. But still, I was acting so erratic and without reason as I stayed on the spot.

'B . . . B-But I can hear it again. I can feel it again. I smell it. Taste it. I can see everything again! Make it stop!'

 _Just a Pawn_

 _Just a Pawn_

 _Just a Pawn_

 **["It's just your memories! Fight it!"]**

"I can't. I can't do it, Ddraig!"

 **["Devil's gain power and survive from fear; fear from the unknown, fears from the future, fear for their friends and families, fears for their own lives. This is no different."]**

 _Just a Pawn_

 _Just a Pawn_

 _Just a Pawn_

 _Just a Pawn_

 _Just a Pawn_

 **["Everything you feared is a cesspool in this house. You survived and your fears clung to this place, that's why you are seeing it again. Strays indulge too much on a single fear that haunts a place. The sharp blades, the pools of blood, and this toxic gas is all you remember of this place, and everyone who knows and spins word of mouth between ears only added to what remained here. Her current form is the result of that fear."]**

He was correct; stray devils who indulge on fear often morph into horrid creatures due to the impression of monsters and fears tied to places where they take refuge or residence in. Everything she had now become was based on my memories of fear that remained tied to this place, which was why she had become like this.

I spat more blood as it came coughing out. It's warmth had no effect on my cold fingers as I wiped it away. I clutched myself as I tried to curl up as much as possible without causing myself anymore pain. I felt like I needed to die here, or perhaps fall asleep so that I could pass on without knowing how or when I had died.

 _Just a Pawn_

 _Just a Pawn_

 **["Don't feed the fear, feed from it yourself. Take its power and make it yours. Fight!"]**

Feed from the fear. Feed . . . from . . . the fear?

Swallowing down what would have been another volley of blood, I suddenly hit an epiphany. Dying here, was not what I wanted. Iddin't want to die afraid, nor did I want to do either individually. I wanted to live. To live, I realised, I needed to feed from the fear. Just as Ddraig said, I was a devil now. I needed to feed from the fear, and then I would live.

But I had to stop my heart before I killed myself the way it was exceeding its natural limits. I would die before I could fight for my life, so now was the only chance I had to show that I could be brave.

I took a deeper breath, but I was still shaking. I still had no strength to speak, so I made my request in my mind.

'I-I will-l n-need your h-h-help f-f-for thi-is o-one. Will you help me, Ddraig?'

 **["I will help even if you won't help yourself. We are the ultimate team, and never forget that. Your fight will always be my fight, and we shall emerge victorious, or we will at least die knowing we gave them the thrashing they deserved."]**

With his reassurance guaranteed, I embarked on an absolutely reckless action I do not recommend anyone else try to replicate.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

With that one {boost} preloaded into my gauntlet, I repeated an action I undertook to save my life three years ago. Placing my hand over my chest, with some assistance and biting down on the pain it caused, I forced the devise to work for me before.

 **["{Transfer!}"]**

*THU-DUMP*

"GAAAAA-aaaah! Ah, ah, ahah."

Like a defibrillator, I sent a strong charge through to my heart, and counter shocked my heart, my cardiac muscles and even reached into my Evil Pieces in order to restore my body to capable functions. I had taken the idea from the first time I had survived and used it on my stomach to remove the poison that the medics failed to remove the first time. My logic was that I could do the same to fix the overexertion of my heartbeating.

It was a one in . . . an infinity's chance that it would have worked; such a process would have been more likely to rupture my blood vessels and kill me instantly. The possibilities that I would have died outnumbered my chances of living with that method. But I scored Lady Luck this time around.

The sudden pressure exerted upon my chest had countered its hyperactive state and forced it to shut down in that instant. I was even luckier that I didn't stop my heart when the process succeeded. If I hadn't been in a life threatening situation, I do share my doubts that it would have restarted as it did.

Perhaps, I should thank my new devil physiology for such a miraculous turnabout.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

I no longer had time to take a breather. I needed to get ready for the inevitable, and that was for the inhuman thing that once was Sayanna to make her return and attempt to slash me in two again.

'I have to do this. I have to.'

 **["{Boost!}"]**

 _Just a Pawn_

['You're more than just a Pawn. Remember that, Partner. You are more than that and never forget it.']

'Yes. Yes, you are right there. I have been so stupid. So very, very stupid indeed.'

 **["{Boost!}"]**

I crawled my way into the corridor. Having set myself up with my front facing the incoming storm.

 _Just a Pawn_

'I am just a Pawn. But, that doesn't mean I have to live to regret what I chose that day.'

 **["{Boost!}"]**

The car wreck parked out front was pushed aside and then a second came crashing through my living room window. I remained still, trying to hold my breath as several tiny rubies started flickering in the black. The moon had vanished in an instant when the clouds came over and I was left to fight the darkness.

'I am just a Pawn, but I am also not just a Pawn. I can be anything; I can be a Knight like I wanted to in the first place. I can also be a Bishop, a Rook, I could even be a Queen when I'm ready for that responsibility and power.'

A car alarm went off, but then it was silenced by another hammer throw that smashed up the first floor of my house until it was like a skeleton above my head.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

One more, I just needed one more.

As the beast came into the doorway, I felt a shiver reacgh my spine at the sight of the ooze, the blades, and the gas again. I felt ten again. I felt true fear before my eyes again.

 _Just a P-_

'But, I could also be a King one day. If I work my very hardest, and reach for the Sun- when I reach for the Sun, I will be a King in my own right. Then, I will be an equal.'

I kept on pushing myself. I would die if I hadn't of done so. Ddraig could only do so much in his state, so I needed to be the one to rescue myself.

Just as the full bodied monster re-entered and began to lather the floor to charge me again, all the necessary preparations were in place for my very own counter attack.

 **["{Boost!} . . . {Burst!}"]**

'I will go home. To the real home that took me in. I was stupid for thinking of coming back here when there is nothing left for me.'

The monster finally made it's move.

'I will see everyone again. I will talk to Ravel again. Play with her. Laugh with her. Learn again, and I will put more effort into it, I swear to you Maous.'

It came above me, so I ducked, leaving it to fly over me and smash the back wall again, falling into my garden.

'When I become a King one day, I'll stand next to her not behind her.'

I rolled over, causing brief momentary pain on my arm as it was the left side, before I pulled my arm up again as the creature recovered quickly and turned again.

'I will be her equal, because she gave me this new life-'

When it came within sights again, I pulled my left arm up with my right and took aim.

"-and I will not squander it by dying here tonight. No! I won't let you!"

Even in the face of danger, that is the only time a man can truly be brave. I felt it. I embraced it.

A small ball of pure red light erupted in my palm. This was the focus of my power that I had been building up till now. As I was within the reach of the deformed praying mantis that was vying for my head, I had but this one chance to obliterate it from existence.

I had no chance of doing so, but I would at least show it my fury even if it was to be my last.

"I am the Pawn of Ravel Phenex! I shall not fall, so die you fucking monocerebrumic piece of shit!"

Grabbing hold of that power, I punched her, using my right arm as a mechanism to achieve it. The knuckles made contact, and then all that energy burst forth into a wave of pure energy into my opponent.

 **["Suffer the wrath of those who mess with the [Red Dragon Emperor], devil scum!"]**

 **["{Explosion!}"]**

I heard a very high shriek and then I was blinded by the light that came to life.

I closed my eyes in retreat from the awakened light, but my ears caught so many different sounds, but it was all a remix of screams and collapse. Stuff was being broken or was colliding with the ground, but I could not for the life of me see a thing in this illumination that had dominated my ability to perceive sight.

When my eyes opened again, it was blurred like I had damaged it by staring directly at the sun. There were a few colours inside the white, but I still saw nothing. My ears popped and where ringing aloud light alarm bells as well so I lost my entire world before me.

I must have wrestled in the unknown for a couple of minutes before I bumped into something unfamiliar to me. A hand reached unto my head, and like a miracle it was, my sight returned as I just narrowly caught the edge of a disintegrating golden magic circle at the bottom of my returned eyesight. Even the ringing had stopped to my relief.

I blinked twice to make sure it wasn't a dream, and I was glad to have been wrong for doubting myself.

"You've done well for a first timer. I'll give you a B+ for bravery, so just stay there for a while."

I looked up at the originator of that hand that touched my hair. I knew the voice immediately, but I needed to reaffirm that it wasn't a memory or an illusion. Thank the Maou that my senses had not forsaken me this time around.

"L-Lord Rayzem!"

At the sight of the second son of the [Marquis of Phenex], I felt like passing out in relief now that my body had reassurance to my own wellbeing. I was lucky to be caught by Kanam before I did my body anymore damage to itself by collapsing on the soaked and stinky floors.

"m-M-M-m-MY KiNG? iS tHAt yoU?"

Hearing the sound of her former master's voice and his name called out, the monster reacted in such a peculiar way; it was happy. She seemed generally pleased to him after unearthing herself from all the rubble she was buried under.

"My my, you have really made a mess of this place. After all the effort we went to keep it from ruin, and now this. Dear oh dear."

My eyes widened as my ears picked up his response. It was true then. I could hardly believe it.

They had kept this house the way it was. Everything was where it should have been, or at least the majority of it was. Such consideration brought a couple of tears to my eyes. Though, I think that having my left arm manhandled by the Bishop was also contributing to the relinquishing of fluids from my eyes, but it ruins the moment saying as such.

To think that they had purchased my home. I didn't even think I would see it again, let alone find out that they had been restoring it piece by piece to how I remembered it was after investigators and other officials had been picking it apart and trying to sell it off in whatever chunks they could once they were done.

"mAStER! I'M hErE! You cAMe tO FiND me?

As the stray started to move towards its former King, Kanam carefully placed me down against the wall, or what was left of the wall leading to the staircase, and rushed to cover the vanguard of her King.

"Kanam; the arms, then the waist. Please, make it quick."

"As you wish, my lord."

With several golden circles flying from her hands, but I didn't see them connect, what with my consciousness exhausted from two recurrent {resets} and the blood loss as well as the pain in my left side. One second, they appeared on her upper arms. The next, was a complete clean slash that cost the stray both her arms, and then a third cleft her in half which reduced her large form into a more human size.

Quite the irony for a monster, I would say.

"nO. NO. WhaT aRE yOU doInG? MASteR?"

He did not reply. He just watched her for a while, as she did all sorts of actions; she rolled around in pain. She tried to re-soak in the blood back into her decapitated arms. She tried to reattach her arms using her teeth. She then tried to what I presume was eat and drink what was lost in order to regain it until she choked on her own entrails and riled in even more pain.

As Kanam did her first aid on my arm and to my shoulder, involving a very horrible reattachment process to relocate it back unto my body, I had my first taste of the {Phoenix Tears}, as a small vial of the red liquid was poured into my throat.

My fatigue and blood loss wasn't restored, but I could feel my arm again as the internal injuries fixed themselves as quickly as the external ones did. To me, the taste was light that of a red orange; sweeter than most, but it also had the essences of spice to it that gave you a good kicking. Perhaps this is what people say is like when you drink something like whiskey where your throat gets a little burning tickle.

Though the taste was comforting, the process in which they were made had put me off forcibly wasting such a valuable and hard to make product again. Despite an easy abundance and supply due to who I was serving under, the thought of making any of the Phenex clan do such a ritual purely for my sake was too much for me to force on them.

It was then, after confirmed that I was able to move more comfortably now, that Lord Rayzem spoke again.

"In the name of the Four Great Devil Kings; Lucifer, Leviathan, Beelzebub and Asmodeus, and to the mother of all devils, Lilith. I, Rayzem, of the House of Phenex, sentence you to death. You have strayed from your master and indulged into your own desires, and thus I bring judgement upon you, on behalf of the [Marquis of Phenex]. Are there any last words you wish to speak before you die?"

"P-p-p-p-pleAse mAstEr. mY kiNg, doN't do thIs to Me! I'll stOp. I wOn'T do iT agaIn, I swEAr!"

Slobbering at the second son of the Phenex household, the injured and bloodied stray looked up at the master she had betrayed and abandoned hoping to see mercy from his eyes. Crawling to him across the scattered remains of woods and brick that ruined my living room floor carpet that was only made worse with the rotten brown colour of her tainted blood.

Through the mix of tears and blood, she looked at him, with me only standing a few feet behind him. As she tried to stand herself up but could only muster her strength to lift herself to waist height, she was met with a couple of taps on the head. The feel of the hand on her head lifted her spirits, but she had misinterpreted her situation entirely;

The touch of Lord Rayzem's hand was not her salvation as she thought. It was his farewell.

"May you find rest whether you go next. Farewell, my Rook. {Combustion: Complete Fallout!}"

At the sound of complete desperation, the flames instantly swallowed the injured stray devil until she was nothing kore than a shadow inside the fire. It was over in quite the short time, but I fixed that sight and that sound into my memory. The distorted look of terror that erupted on her deformed face and the sudden extinguishing of her shadow as it became nothing more than a pile of burnt remains that fell like a statue of ice quicker than a beam of light could hit it.

As the fire died, there was nothing that even resembled a person, except for the lingering echo that rung in my eardrums of her final screams. Sayanna was no more. There was but a pile of roasted flakes and remains of what had once been a devil, but it was no more than lumps of carbon now. No life. No shape. No form. Not even her bones survived the extreme heat, and thus this pile of blackened earth could not even be called a being or the remains of one.

It was just as it looked. It was hot dirt. Devoid of all life that it may have once held.

But I could still hear the scream. She may have nothing that remains of her, but there was definitely a ghost lingering in my memories.

But I could not weep. She had nearly killed me, and I was not saddened that she was gone. Maybe I pitied the devil she had once been. But the monster that wrecked my home, and tried to rip me in half with the fear that I left lingering here. I could not forget that. I could never forgive that.

Neither, will I say, that seeing nothing remained of her pleased me in the slightest however.

"Kanam, please prepare the teleportation circle home, if you would be so kind."

"Of course, my Lord."

As his bishop left to prepare the circle for departure, Lord Rayzem continued to stare down as the blackened soot that had once been a person. He pulled out a strip of something that I am sure wasn't tobacco based, and proceeded to smoke it after lighting it. The smoke was a silvery blue colour and unlike a cigarette, the smoke did more than just rise in the wind.

"Her real name was Harphyria" he said as he started puffing, and the smoke took form. The image that appeared in the smoke was a small child with no features as it was only made of flame based vapour. "I took her into my household when she was younger than yourself, many, many decades ago. She was just a low-ranking devil with no such name to fall upon nor a rank to cling to. But I thought what I was doing was pitying her. I renamed her Sayanna, so she could forget the past. I made her my Rook, so that she could have a better life. Maybe I was wrong. I believe that I was wrong for doing what I used believe was right. I don't think I ever truly understood her feelings."

As he finished his story, and the actors in the smoke stopped their actions, he flicked the end of his instrument nestled in his fingers and the smoke died along with whatever had been floating before my eyes.

He stepped on the remnants and scraped it in with two rotations of his right foot before he retreated his leg to a more comfortable stance. As I just watched him stand there staring at what he had created before him as was his duty, I saw that single tear roll off his stone like face. His expression never altered, nor did it look wounded to what he had done, but that single tear that slowly fell from his chin and moistened the smudge at his feet was the only indication I needed to know that this was hard on him as well.

Perhaps that was enough of a reason to smoke. I never asked him, nor anyone else, what the substance was because I assumed that it was not something meant to be spoken of. It sounds stupid saying it out loud now, but at the time I had presumed it was what many human societies called "illegal substances" having borne witness to such vivid images in the smoke.

I was glad to be wrong though, not that such things would have had any effect on devil bodies and minds.

He never turned his head, but I knew that he was now talking to me directly.

"I don't know" he began. "All that I know is that a stray devil needs to be put down before they can hurt others as much as they hurt themselves. That is among my duties as not just a member of the House of Phenex, but also as a High-class devil, and a son to my parents, a husband to my wife, a father to my children, a King to my peerage, and most importantly, as a judge, jury and executioner to the condemned."

He rubbed his eyes, and again he never turned to look me in the eyes. He just continued to look at Sayanna's ashes that he himself was responsible for. It wasn't until he delved more into his reasoning for not wanting to look at me that I realised just why he continued staring.

"If I could not bring myself to kill her after judging her, then I would have no right to claim her life be taken at all. It was my duty as her King to set things right."

There was a light tap of rain that started to fall outside, and in the holes that now scarred my old home, as they fell in the more precarious of fashions. None of them hit us, but the atmosphere suited his warning to me.

I would never forget what I heard him tell me, nor do I feel that I will ever remove the feelings he

"Issei. Please listen to what I have to say; whether you are a Pawn or my sister's friend, whichever does not matter. As a servant, I implore you to remember this; this is the fate of a devil who strays from their masters to indulge in their own desires. It is ok to want, but to want for yourself is always a second priority. Ravel is to be your King, so put her before your own desires. As her brother, and as another King in my own right, you will do this. Should you stray from this path, I will have to kill you."

The word kill struck me, but in this quiet place I was too aware of myself and tried my hardest not to show how it had shocked me. It failed as the catch that caught in my breathing was the only sign he needed to know that I needed to hear the word sink in for a while before he continued on.

"I will not allow my sister to stain her hands if it happens to be you. She shouldn't have to do something so at her age. Ruval would burn you as slowly as possible from your feet until at least it reaches your head, making sure you are still alive to feel the agony for days if he could. Riser would be just as slow, but he would take a limb at a time and let you watch. That's how much our sister means to us, Issei."

He started playing with the stubble that had begun to grow again days after the party had finished. Having spent so much time at work, his state had returned to being fairly unkempt as it usually did. If he had been wearing a tie, I was sure he would have loosened it to relive his neck the stress of having to withhold the right to relax even the slightest.

"As for me, . . . I will make sure it's quick. Not for you, but for my sister who clung to you when she was lonely, who went out her way to teach you herself on top of her own studies because she cared, who wanted to share her home with you so that she would still have you with her, and who decided to commit to the idea of being a King, and taking responsibility to be the head of her own peerage, to keep you by her side. I will make it quick so that she won't have to suffer as much burning away the last memories of you."

I may have still been young, but at thirteen years, I was mature enough to realise just what he was telling and why he was going through so much effort to personally educate me on the subject. As we both continued to look at what had once been a Rook turned stray devil that had most likely had many others who would miss her dearly, the thought of that pile of ashes being me gave me time to reflect.

A part of me wished for home; the home I had and lost three years ago. What was left here was just ruins and memories that kept me tied to this place. Having come face to face with the monster that had swallowed my fears and nightmares, I wanted to say that I finally had my needed closure to leave this place behind me. But I couldn't.

I live here. My parents had died here, just I nearly had myself. I never wanted to let go of my past. However, I had to. I swore my life over to Ravel. I promised to always be with her, forever, and that we would always get along, and to reach beyond the heavens in the future. This new life belonged to her. I was aware of that fact.

And deep in my chest, I swore that I could feel Sparky kicking around just as violently as before, though the pain itself was numbing like it had been the work of a spectre instead of my own hand.

Yes, these pieces that Ravel had entrusted to me, and also who Lady Phenex had gladly surrendered in order to allow this to be. Lord Phenex, Ruval, Riser, and Rayzem and Zemele and Vissarion, and Sebast, and all the peerage members, and all the servants. Yes. They were my home now. They were my family.

I shook my head a bit, as a small feeling of wetness touched my cheek, which I wiped away immeaditaly with a sniffle to follow. Whether it was just the cold caused by the rain, or if I too had shed a tear that day doesn't matter. I accepted everything again, and I accepted it with full knowledge now, and it remained my choice to make alone.

Finally turning towards me, as I responded in kind, with his frozen expression upheld he placed both his hands on my shoulders as he looked at me from his higher angle. Staring right into my eyes, he made only one last request of me that night.

"Promise me, Issei. Promise me, that you will not make Ravel cry like that. Promise me, that this discussion will never be a reality. Promise me, that you will not force any of us to kill the memory of that boy we brought home three years ago."

I looked straight at him. I made no attempts to look away, nor did I show signs of discomfort as I replied to him.

"I promise."

That was it.

Two words was all I needed to say.

I understood.

I tossed aside my childish ignorance as those words left my mouth.

I would always remember this day.

I will remember.

And with that, there were no more words between us, as the second son of the [Marquis of Phenex] walked on down the path into the front gates toward the gateway back to Hell. With his bishop having already made the necessary preparations, the only thing left before returning was I.

Stepping into the wet, and taking one last look in a long while at the home I once knew for ten years of my life, I turned my back on my human life for the last time and entered the orange circle before the light consumed the three of us and brought us home to the Phenex household.

* * *

 _I am only yours,_

 _not as a Knight, but a Pawn_

 _of eight pieces each._

 _So on my honour,_

 _I swear I will stand with you_

 _for eternity._

 _Never shall I stray,_

 _To suffer such a demise._

 _I will remember._

* * *

 **Omake VII: Where Art Thou, Author-san?**

 **Ravel:** (walks into an open space) Hey, Ise-senpai. Have you seen . . . (notices Issei holding his legs in a fetal position) What happened?

 **Issei:** (half sobbing) Don't . . . Look . . . At . . . USB Stick.

 **Ravel:** (remembering the events from two weeks before) . . . Oh! What was-

 **Issei:** (picking himself up) Don't Ask. Please.

 **Ravel:** (concerned with him, sits next to him) Are you going to be ok?

 **Issei:** In time. (wipes his face, then claps him cheeks) If I can't get over something like this, then I would be a disgrace to my manager and my peerage.

 **Ravel:** (blushing) D-don't say it like that. I-I . . .

 **issei:** (noticing something) Have we been acting weird lately?

 **Ravel:** (curious) Not that I've noticed.

 **Issei:** (ponders) Maybe it's just being in isolation so long, but I feel out of character sometimes.

 **Ravel:** What does that mean?

 **Issei:** (shrugs) Beats me. (looks around) Where is Alek? (annoyed) _He was a day late with this chapter as it is, and he can't even be bothered to show up._ What gives?

 **Ravel:** That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. (pulls out an envelope) Did you read this?

 **Issei:** No (grabs the envelope and opens it) It's a review, from . . . **User:War_historian** (reads over the letter) . . . Typical; he's gone and getting himself drunk again. What is his f***ing problem. (stops and sighs) _And why the f*** is there still a censor beep in here when HE is not even here?_

 **Ravel:** So, I guess we should go to the reviews?

 **Issei:** Won't that be hard since Alek isn't here to do the- (alarmed by a beeping sound on the computer) . . . is that an E-mail?

 **Ravel:** (opens said E-mail) . . . Yes, it's from Alek. He says ["I'll answer the questions as long as he's being asked."]

 **Issei:** (shocked) Wait, he can hear us? (looks around for a hidden camera or speaker)

 **Ravel:** _This is his world after all._ (rolls her eyes as Issei continues to look for a while) So we have a review from **User:AcclaimingTR** , who has- (stops herself) Nothing.

 **issei:** (stops in his tracks) Huh? Nothing? then why-

 **Ravel:** (red in the face and slightly in a panic) I'm going to have to go for a while, I'll be right back. (leaves for a bit)

 **Issei:** (reads the letter) But, Rias isn't here anymore. So, where could she- (suddenly realises the situation) Next review is **Guest (3)** (reads the letter) What OC? You're on chapter 1 when you reviewed, so I don't know who you're talking about.

 **Ravel:** (panting and still red in the face, but is smiling) Aha. Let's move!

 **Issei:** (becoming slowly aware) H-Hai! We have one from . . . (gulps as previous experiences with this reviewer flashback to him) U- **User:Dragon Rider 66** says- (photos drop out of the review)

 **Ravel:**. . . (inflames slightly, but grows stronger as time passes) Issei. I am going to check every one of these photos. If you even look at a single one of them before I have checked them thoroughly, I will have to burn everything to ash. Got it?

 **Issei:** (scared) Gah! . . . Y-y-yes 'mam. (quickly skipping the review for a while) U-um, oh! **User:DrunkenFistNinja** says Alek's English is actually very good, and that- (Looks at the screen, then sweat drops at Alek's response) _Did he seriously just send a smiley face? Maybe he's already hit a bottle too many with **historian**._

 **Ravel:** (inspects  EVERY detail of the photos from **'66** , gets flustered over a few, but folds them up and hands them to Issei) Here.

 **Issei:** (confused) Really? It's ok?

 **Ravel:** (slightly flustered) . . . J-just accept it. I-I mean, as your manager, I have deemed it acceptable, so just take it ok.

 **Issei:** (slight nosebleed) O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ok. (wipes his face and puts the pictures in his school jacket pocket)

 **Ravel:** (reads something else in the review from **'66** ) Issei, which manga is he referring to?

 **Issei:** (points to the one they used as a rest for the keyboard) That one.

 **Ravel:** (spots it) Oh? Well thank you **'66** , we read that weeks ago. Sorry we didn't say a thing, but there is very little to do here. (reads a little more) Oh, yes. We will hit him if we can when he gets drunk. Well, I can; it's an anime logic universe.

 **Issei:** (deadpanned) Sucks to be me.

 **Ravel:** (ignores him and moves on) Ok, you're question was " _. . . if issei's going to get a phenex version of his [CxC], does that mean that he'll have a phenex version of his trinana?"_ (looks at the screen for a reply)

 **Issei:** (reads the reply) ["No, because."] Because why? (moves on) ["But, I will tell you the new name of the [CxC], which is [Vizir Vermillion Queen Promotion]."] Huh?

 **Ravel:** (explaining) Well, the colour was obviously changed since it was in the title and as he explained in one of the previous omakes that it would be Vermillion. Changing the first part is obviously to keep it alliterative.

 **Issei:** (confused) But how do you go from Cardinal to Vizir?

 **Ravel:** (confused also) Why did you name it Cardinal Crimson to begin with?

 **Issei:** (reminiscing) I didn't. It was Sairaorg who named it as such. I just presumed the Cardinal part was reference to a similar red colour.

 **Ravel:** Well actually, the Cardinal, also called the Princess, Archbishop, or Bishop-Knight, is a fairy chess piece that moves like a Bishop and a Knight piece. I think that's what Sairaorg had in mind when he gave it a name.

 **Issei:** (surprised) Really? Well, what about a Vizir?

 **Ravel:** From what I know, Vizir or Wazir is like an Inverse Rook, in which it can only move one space at a time in all directions except diagonal.

 **Issei:** (agitated) That feels like an insult.

 **Ravel:** (ponders) Hmm. Going from Cardinal to Vizir does sound demeaning, but I'm sure he didn't mean it like that.

 **Issei:** (looking awkwardly away) _Do you really know Author-san?_ (curious) Does he say anything else?

 **Ravel:** He says . . . ["If you want to know the [CxC] template I imagine for [VVP], look up _Extreme Gundam Type Leos EXA Phase"_ ] . . . ? Uh . . . What?

 **Issei:** (imagining it) O~oh I know that one. It's quite the beauty. (eyes dazzle) And I get to wear Scale Mail like that.

 **Ravel:** (panicking) Ise-senpai! You're drooling on the monitor. Alek-san isn't here to fix it if you break it.

 **Issei:** (snaps from his imagination) S-Sorry. I'll try harder.

 **Ravel:** (picks up the next one)Next up is from **User:RedSS** who sends Alek some drinks (kicks them under a blanket and sits on it like a stool) . . . which have mysteriously disappeared until such a time as he can learn to control himself.

 **Issei:** (sweat dropping) _Yikes. She can be scary even without flames_. As expected from my manager.

 **Ravel:** (coughs after going a bit red again) Next is from **User:On Soaring Wings** and . . . (reads over it) ' _. . ._ _even the worst fanfics I have ever touched were more fun to read than this._ ' Oh my. Someone's not a fan.

 **Issei:** (hears an unusual beep from the monitor, and thus starts watching the computer screen for Alek's reply) . . . Um, Ravel!

 **Ravel:** (alarmed) Issei?

 **Issei:** (points to the screen full of many swear words, curses and other such nasty uses of language) I think we better let Alek cool down for a while, _it's not good to upset him while he's hitting the bottle_. So, let's wrap this up shall we. (looks again, then makes a 'yeesh' expression)

 **Ravel:** (turns the monitor off after inspecting the screen) G-Good idea. Well that's all the time we have, but don't worry we're not going anywhere. It's just that Alek has some work to do so there won't be anything for a while since it's the end of a semester.

 **Issei:** But I will affirm that he will keep his promise and give you that second preview of the Rating Game ahead of time on the first day of the new year. _And he better make sure it's on that very date too._

 **Issei and Ravel:** 'Til next time. Bye-Bye!

 **Ravel:** (noticed something on the ground) Huh? what's this. (opens the letter, then there is silence) . . . Issei.

 **Issei:** (scared) W-w-what?

[ _To Be Continued_ ]

 **Issei:** (half terrified/half annoyed) Oh come on!

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'DrunkenFistNinja', 'FateBurn',** **'On Soaring Wings',** **'Valimesh',** **'Warrof',** **'RedSS',** **'Dragon Rider 66',** **'Guest' (1),** **'War historian',** **'AcclaimingTR',** **'thus dud',** **'The Rupture',** **'Prodigal Knight',** **'Guest' (2, but also a user),** **'Guest' (3),** **and 'darth56' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **As I have said, I will be finishing my coursework for this term before this story as a priority, so I do apologise, but it is necessary as I am sure you are all aware. I will keep my promise and I assure you this will not be abandoned until there is a satisfying ending at the very least.**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**


	7. Interlogue

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release. And, um . . . has someone found my Christmas spirit yet? I appear to have misplaced mine unfortunately. I miss it ever so dearly *sniff*sniff*.**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

* * *

[-KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL! LEAVE NOTHING OF THEM TO BE FOUND! TURN THEM TO DUST AND LET THEM FLOAT AWAY INTO THE WIND!-]

The black shroud that was once Gasper Vladi continued to spew bouts of madness as the [Evil God of Desecration] Balor's consciousness continued to bleed into his mind.

[-TAKE THEIR BLOOD! TAKE THEIR POWER! NOTHING SHALL REMAIN! ALL SHALL BE NIHILISM! NIL BUT ASHES AT MY FEET!-]

The spirit of the deceased [King of the Fomorians] had preyed upon the dhamphir's weak will, just as this Rating Game was looking to be over. One moment of weak mentality for my kouhai was enough to allow the wicked deity to ensnare his thoughts and actions. And now, he had become this.

Halfway strung between a reanimated corpse stricken with lingering rigor mortis, and a twitching resistant marionette. It wasn't a pretty sight.

Inside the shadows that wrapped and snapped at the environment like a ravenous beast, the platinum haired Bishop struggled and ranted as his hands wrapped around and flailed against his head. Two distinct voices spoke the same words, but their tones conflicted their true feelings making it difficult to know who was vying for control; the scared and cowardly Gasper, or the merciless and insane Balor.

The insanity also infested his many bats that had gone from circling the arena into disorientated flight patterns that would do no good for surveillance purposes, as many crashed or dropped form the skies. And I swear, that I even saw a few larger ones cannibalise the smaller ones. This was the true madness in this chaos.

Eyes glazed over like clouded crystal, you could have sworn he was blind, but that wasn't the case most of the time; the flare of red would occasional leap forth and stop the world in its tracks. You'd never catch it, and you'd never known you were caught in it. The only sign that it had come to pass was the one person who could move within a frozen world. If he jumps immediately in any shape or form, you'd know you were caught out.

His umbrakinesis draped the replica of the school building into a sheet of night, as the dark swept across even the sky, but allowed no stars to light the world we were still trapped inside.

Lord Riser and Rias Gremory has long since flown from danger and were the sole combatants in the forest line, ground and sky in all. Who ran in fear and who ran in pursuit? That is a question I cannot answer. I was far across the building's roof at the time, battling the host to the [Black Dragon King], Saji Genshirou, but I am being too kind with my choice of words. To call the confrontation between us a battle was an understatement. At best, I fought him, not the other way around on equal ground. He was outmatched to begin with, and had taken too much damage fighting Isabella one-on-one, and surviving two direct incursions of Yubelluna's {Radius Explosion} attacks, which was no small feat in itself.

Without even being able to activate Balance Breaker, nor use his Sacred Gear {Absorption Line's} main ability, I responded in kind to at least grant him the perception that he could still win so that he could give what remained of his all in his struggle. Albeit, I couldn't stop my {Boosted Gear's} automatic ten-second amplifying ability, but neither could I not use it if Saji were to feel I couldn't withhold anything further from our duel. But that's the price to sustain a dragon's pride.

Though he has yet to awaken Vritra from slumber, he wields a Dragon-type Sacred Gear, and so as a fellow "dragon" in spiritual terms, as neither of us are physically, allowing him to retain an amble amount of pride in his abilities is justified and expected.

Old man Tannin would never forgive me for breaking a rule he spent so long engraving into me when it comes to a dragon's pride.

The whole catastrophe had actually begun when the [Bomb Queen's] attack decimated the Gremory occupied half of the roof; it was the second Bishop, Asia Argento, who suffered the brunt of the attack when her King failed to deploy a magic circle as a barrier in order to protect the former nun tending to her own wounds. A terrible display for a King to not be able to save a person standing next to them, especially one who forced reincarnation on her as she had done many times before.

The very least she should have done was to retire her defenseless piece before she had sustained so much damage. I doubt a direct attack like that will let her out of hospital for a fortnight without direct medicinal magic aid.

Perhaps it was the guilt that he couldn't prevent the attack, nor could he allow Asia anytime to dodge the attack, whilst he himself was able to avoid the blast by subconsciously reacting to the situation before it could occur. I do not know the half-vampire well, but I know he is very much a timid soul and takes words and actions like a sponge without being able to ring them out of his mind quickly enough for it to have no effect on him.

It may be just guess work, but pondering now will do me no good.

Asia was retired from the system, loud and clear, which was when the two Kings left the main battlefield and thus Gasper had been allowed to wallow in his moment of misery before the dark god sealed within his eyes started to picture a new vision for him; death, desolation, and destruction of everything around him.

Yubelluna fell next; caught off guard as she attempted to knock out the second Bishop from the game in similar fashion as she had done with the first. Her {Radius Explosion} ready to go also immediately as she reproduced it once more before letting it loose a second time. It landed with all certainty, but made no such damage to the remaining Bishop. Out of the flames came the necronic blades, as smoke and shadows broke the attack in literal half, piercing straight through the super-heated ball of thermal combustion and then struck so suddenly and so far reaching that it penetrated clean through the right shoulder of Lord Riser's Queen.

Any lower, and she would have lost that arm this fight.

The shock from the attack was enough to force her retirement from the game, as the shadow dissipated and her wound bled enough to soak her clothing in less than ten seconds after the strike. The scariest part was that had it been her left side, it would have cut right through her heart and she would have been dead the instant the black blade left her body.

Perhaps the real Gasper is who to thank for the lucky escape from another real Rating Game "accident".

The only real problem now, was my real King, Ravel.

Having just witnessed the sudden attack launched against Riser's strongest piece, she had becomes frozen in a moment in time. By the time I had managed to knock Saji out enough to get the system to remove him from the game, I only came to realise just how dire the situation had evolved.

Coupling the natural shadow manipulating powers of the House of Vladi, with the temporal control utilised by Balor's [Evil Eyes that stop the World], it made his attack that already had no rationality in their strikes or swings impossible to predict let alone counter.

Watching the horror show before my eyes, I could do nothing but run.

"Ravel!"

Run, to defend my King.

 **["{Welsh Dragon: Balance Breaker!}"]**

"{Promotion: Knight!}"

As fast as the enhanced speed of the Knight Piece could carry me, spreading across all eight of my Pawn pieces at the same time, I raced to intercept the distance between the opposing Bishops, as Yomi itself creeped across the remnants of the replica Main School Building.

All it would take is one fatal strike, and not even {Regeneration} could save her life. Nothing can heal what has already been killed.

[-DESTROY THEM! SLAY THEM! TAKE THEIR STRENGTH! FORCE THEM INTO SUBMISSION AND CLIP THEIR WINGS! SMASH THEIR ARMOUR INTO A MILLION PIECES! SLICE THEM INTO A MILLION MORE! LET THEM FIND NOTHING AN INFINITE JIGSAW! NEVER TO BE PUT TOGETHER AGAIN!-]

I must have avoided seven or eight of his wild frenzy attacks, as they sharply glided against my metal armour. I never saw them coming, nor did I know when he had attacked me due to the unstable nature of my perception to time flowing differently than what the half-god creature was seeing.

Having not moved an inch, save for a couple of steps backwards, before her knees collapsed beneath her, she fell slightly to her right till she was almost hanging from the room. A literal sitting duck. From my point of view, it looked like she couldn't move from her spot. Even if she tried there was no way she could avoid the mass of black razors, ready to strike at any time from any place.

A cut across the arm ripped her dress, only for fire to consume the wound to make it look like it never happened. But her tears weren't erased. That shock of pain on her face had been real and couldn't be fixed by burning over it.

She hoisted herself to stable ground, and covered her face, as I just continued to hurry as fast as my {Knight Promotion} would allow me to.

When I finally reached the roof separating the two of them, she had already been hit three more times, while I had been attacked an addition fifteen trying to arrive to this place. None of it had pierced me, and none of them had seriously injured her, but the attacks were not letting down. I stood guard as attacks continued to volley in our direction.

 **["{Reset!}"]**

I couldn't predict them, but with their flailing doing little but slapping and rebounding off the red metal that surrounded me, I was taking no damage. I lost my {boosts} due to the constant attacks, and the counter continued to reset.

"{Promotion: Rook!}"

I traded the enhanced speed and reflexes into the greater attack and defence provided by the Rook piece. Not even scratches became a visible threat when he attacked anymore. There was barely a single pinging sound from his strikes ricocheting off my armour.

I have Sparky to thank for this blessing bestowed to me. Though it could nothing to my fatigue and loss of stamina, I had high hopes that I could easily hold out longer than the mad Bishop forcibly wasting his mana reserves on uncoordinated attacks that he wasn't even controlling.

But my armour was null to the sudden strike that came for me.

*SLASH*

I swallowed my exhale, and my eyes shot wide till the whites were larger than my pupils. My jaw went slack and my defence fell with it. In the gap between the various plates of red coloured steel, the shadow struck at the flesh beneath and shanked cleanly into my body beneath.

I felt it . . . deep within my lower torso. I looked down to confirm it, and I was certain that from this height, it would have killed my King behind me. Had I not been there, that attack would have split her head in half like a watermelon on the beach. It stung worse than anything that had ever cut me before, and I could feel the chills infesting the open wound as empty void replaced the blood.

But, he wasn't done just yet.

*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*

[-DIE! DIE! DIE! CUT HIM! FILL HIM WITH HOLES! DROWN THE TOWN IN RED! PAINT IT IN HIS BLOOD!-]

*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*SLASH*

My armour took the brunt of the attacks, but the unpredictability of the shadow strikes meant that I had no way of moving from this spot. From here, Ravel was safe, behind me. Behind my armour, and my body. Every strike that cut through me, was one that doesn't hit her. She would live, and I would not give in, but continue to stand here until she is no longer in danger.

Like Musashibo Benkei. Like Dian Wei. Like King Solomon. I would remain standing here, even till my own death. I would not move. I would not fall. I would stan-

*BHELCK*

Blood started showering the roof ever so slowly. Having now finally trailed from streams to rivers down my legs as the leaks across my body formed a great delta across both my legs. Blood running down my arms fell like small waterfalls from the tips of my index and middle finger, with small droplets meeting them from my thumbs.

It was so cold now. I felt so numb, but in so much pain at the same time. I heard little, except the madmen screaming his heart out, thrashing his dark arms about to attack invisible enemies only he could see, and the sound of water dripping into puddles.

It was beginning to get too hard breath. My lungs stung, and small bubbles formed and splattered with every inhale. I felt sick, as the taste blood stained my tongue. I couldn't breathe in this helmet over my face.

The most disturbing sight wasn't the miserable form I was in; it was the demented puppeteer wearing Gasper's skin, who had the nerve to wave the blood-stained black blade across his lips. Even in his berserker state, the twisted demon still found limited control to perform such despicable acts in front of me.

I could swear there was a brief twitch in his left cheek that almost formed a smile at the sight of my blood on the edge of his freely formed fingers.

He had the nerve to then flick his tongue across it to sample the prize he got for penetrating my scale mail. But, to my complete surprise, the moment the evil god swallowed down my blood, was the moment of his downfall via his own folly; whether it was because Gasper was of vampiric heritage, or because my blood was coated in Ddraig's aura that made it stronger than usual, but taking in my blood caused the losing battle to turns its tide.

[-KILL! KILL! kI-l . . . GArrah- . . . . . .!-]

"N-N-N-No. N-No more! No MORE! NO MORE!"

Gasper, who had been losing control of his mind and his body, now suddenly shut the evil god out, and his eyes glowed the reddish hue of his Sacred Gear and all that was frozen flew alongside the rest of the world. All darkness that he had commanded halted their advance, some even cracking from overextension. But all in all, the sudden relapse in power backfired on the dhampir, and his form was sudden caught in pinkish purple until he appeared to be encased like a bug in amber.

He stopped moving. Like a doll without a handler, he became a statue frozen by his own time manipulation. The shadows no longer snapped, but became stuck in place in all manner of unusual shapes with a collection of sharp, rounded, and unfamiliar edges that could only be concocted by a world of literary nonsense.

Though the lights of red fury and orange flame continued to travail in the corner of my vision, there was nothing left. Gasper would not move from that spot. There was no longer any killing intent exercised by his half-dead expression, and his magic stamina consumption had hit its wall, when the dark crumbled and vanished from sight at a slow pace.

He wasn't retired, so he could still reawaken. But Ravel was safe for now. She could escape his madness, and she could still live.

*DRIP*DRIP*

I however, could no longer move.

"Issei!"

I felt Ravel move to touch me, but upon doing so stained her own hand in the blood that was now soaking over my armour that it had become indistinguishable from its natural colour. It was running down my back too. Some of the strikes fell right through me.

I couldn't turn my head to look at her, even as my visor fell from my face rather than disappeared as it naturally did. It clanged upon the roof before sliding down to the left and flung from the guttering into the entrance grounds. Other parts started following soothe as my {Boosted Gear's} energy no longer {Boosted}. Chips and arches of red armour fell one by one in random order till I was a dishevelled knight wearing what little armour I could afford that would still constitute as a viable amount of protection.

The loss of weight was of slight relief, though my muscles ached harder when I no longer had the metal to keep me upright on its own. My body quivered as the chills continued crawling around me. My teeth chattered as I kept my jaw locked. I was both in pain, and I was cold all over. My right eye became cloudy as an open wound trailed down over my face. It wasn't deep nor would it probably scar, since it was made my visor collapsing on its own.

"Oh, by the Maou. Issei. Why? Why did you?"

Her voice was muffled by her hands, and then made even worse when she started sniffling as I could only presume were her tears running down her face. I was making her cry, making her worry, all for my sake. She could be dead if I hadn't moved like I did, stood as I did, take every hit that came my way as I was doing. But none of that mattered.

"You're safe, . . . that's all that matters. I . . . didn't think I . . . would make it in time. I . . . was sure I would never reach . . . you. But I did. I . . . made it here. I-"

Blood spewed forth from my mouth. I started losing focus on my surroundings. I couldn't even keep my head straight, as it started getting too heavy for my neck.

I started questioning this coldness, this achiness, this tiredness and this painful experience. I wondered if this is what dying felt like. I questioned if death was coming for me as my mind began to flood with the strangest hallucinations.

'Oh well' I thought. 'At least Ruval, Rayzem nor Riser will be able to punish me for making their sister cry.'

I tried to smile, hanging to that thought as I started feeling the blood washing into my eyes, perhaps even from my eyes. As all energy started leaving my body, the cuts and gouged wounds all over my body made my skin cold, and it was becoming ever more apparent that it was all very painful.

I had thought of pain such as this as something I had lost after training for so many years under Tannin's tutelage. But, I was wrong. This wasn't just a physical pain. As the dizziness attributed to severe blood loss kicked in as well, I remembered how many promises I would be breaking if I died here.

But, why should it matter right now?

Gasper wasn't moving, I reminded myself. If he was inactive for a good amount of time, he would be automatically resigned by the system, and I doubted his conscious would wake up that quickly. With Riser, it was just a matter of when Rias Gremory's {Power of Destruction} lost its juice if she continued to persist as stubbornly as she was.

And most importantly, Ravel was no longer in foreseeable danger. As it stood, this match- *cough*blech*cough*cough* was as good as over.

I think I've been staring at the sky a little too long. Everything's . . . looking a little fuzzy.

"Look at me, Issei."

Her stained hands reached up to my face and cuffed my cheeks. Palm to cheek became sticky after the blood made contact with both surfaces, like seriously strong glue was now magnetising them both together.

If I stared long enough, I could see my face reflected in her irises of zaffre. My eyes probably looked so dead. My face so shrunken and barebones pale. Her own face was smudged in red, with only her tears cleaning it from her eyes and her cheeks.

By the Maou, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I made you cry so much.

She pulled a vial from her sleeve. Gold it's lid with red solution inside. The glass was clearer than water, and shaped like . . . a tear drop.

A {Phoenix Tear}!

"Drink Issei! Drink it! Please, I order you! Don't die on me! I order you; I'm your King, so don't die! Drink and live with me! For me! Issei!"

Please, don't bury you head there. Not against my open wounds. It no longer hurts. I don't feel anything anymore. But, I feel a skeletal claw wrapping my heart seeing you in such a state.

Even if I could bend down and accept it from her-

No. No, I couldn't accept something made that way. Such a horrid thing to force anyone to produce. Emotionless tears. Shedding something so cruel in order to procure such a rare elixir. No one should have to perform a ritual with a heavy toll paid by the creator it is extracted from.

It's deceptively sweet taste trying to mask the hollow emotions placed inside of it.

But what would be worse: accepting such a cruelly made resource, or reject her honest attempt to save me?

Am I betraying her? Is this betrayal? Mutiny? Revolt? To want resist taking this- . . .

I'm sorry. But, I still cannot move.

"For eternity."

Her voice squeaked once more, with her forehead still resting and wrestling into my wounded abdomen.

"Till we could reach the heavens. And touch the sun. *sniff* You promised *sniff*. You promised me when I made you my servant. You *sniff* said you promised . . ."

[-. . . K . . . K . . . K-K . . . K . . .-]

Her voice stopped at the spine chilling break caught us both by surprised.

We both heard it. The deranged voice cracking through a closed over throat. The sound of his tongue clicking inside a dry mouth was a warning. A desperate attempt to spew more manners of insanity through his marionette. We should have seen it coming, but neither of us had put the necessary pieces together to remember who the true wielder was; the one with the evil eyes that halt the perception of time, wasn't my kouhai.

Gasper wasn't the conscious that was waking up. Balor was. No one would forget that madman's voice spilling from Gasper's throat. His eyes began to twitch also, and the pink miasma that had engulfed the conjoined beings into place was starting to flicker like a poor source of light.

It was weakening.

Balor was reclaiming control, only this time, it appeared that the Gasper was holding him. But barely. He would tire, or the Evil God would override his Sacred Gear and cancel the spell himself.

"Issei."

I could barely hear a thing anymore. Everything was now just a deafened echo in the distance. I could see her grab my left arm and pulling against it. I knew her words, but I lost the means to understand the message they conveyed.

". . . We need to get out of here. . . . Come with me. . . . . Please."

It was not good.

I couldn't be Solomon. I wasn't Dian Wei. And, there was no way I could ever be Benkei. I had no more strength left to stand let alone run away, as tears mixed in with my blood running from my chin.

With what little of last strength in my body, I tried pulling a smile, but could barely lift my own face and I blubbered and shook with my last breath to tell her one last time.

"Forgive me, my princess."

I . . . couldn't stay awake any longer.

'You have to run.'

I was falling.

'I'm sorry, Rei-chan.'

I . . . I-

'I . . . am . . . done.'

I felt the natural darkness overtake me, as the last of my strength gave out and I felt like sinking backwards through the still air. As my mind went to rest for what felt like an eternity, my ears could only hear one last sound calling into my ears. First as an echo, then a whisper, and then . . . there was nothing.

"No. No no no no no no, NO!~ . . . . . . ISSEI!"

* * *

 _Had I been different,_

 _we may have borne better fruit_

 _for all out labours,_

 _Instead, all's bitter:_

 _We have reaped what we have sown_

 _from this poor harvest,_

 _What is dead never dies._

 _Broken promises. Lost words._

 _Dead men tell no lies._

* * *

 **Omake VI:** **Solitary Celebrations**

 **Alek:** (sitting on a red leather seat by an open fire with a large book in front of him) Oh, Hi. I didn't know you were coming today. (chuckles as he puts the book away) You are probably wondering what this is all about? Well, I did intend to release this omake with my short story compilation on Christmas Day or at least before New Years, but like everything you try to do, deadlines just seem to catch up with you quicker than you can write, so here we are.

But, as promised, I gave you the second part of the fight. Not a direct continuation, and not the conclusion, but I hope that it was to your satisfaction.

(puts the book to one side and pull up a large bag of letters)

Oh, this? Nah, this isn't Father Christmas' post, this is your reviews. (stares at the bag) _All of them this year._ (looks back) Over **100 reviews** to be exact! (streamers start flying through the air) . . . and over **200 favourites** and over **250 follows** too! (more streamers fly followed by awkward silence) . . . _I seriously need the company._ (reaches for more eggnog and takes another few sips)

(wipes his face and proceeds to talk on)

So, as you may have noticed, Ravel and Issei aren't here, because I am an omnibenevolent god, _occasionally,_ so I let them go home for the holidays. (shows annoyance) _And now because i'm behind, they are even off for New Years it seems_ (takes a sip of eggnog) And, don't worry about  that letter, we'll continue that next time.

(folds his leg and intertwines his fingers over his raised knee)

First of all, I would like to thank each and everyone of you for sticking around so long, even those of you who always strive to inform me how to improve rather than simply dropping the series after I repeatedly ignored your helpful advice. Thank you, each and everyone of you. (picks up his glass) If any of you have eggnog or a drink at hand, please take a sip to thank yourselves. (drinks some) That's some good 'nog.

(unfolds his leg and leans forward)

And now, we shall move ahead with your reviews from the following month. Let's see what we have today;

(picks out a review from **User:Which_Brew** )

Thank you very much, I'm glad I put the effort in.

(picks out a review from **User:ExplodingKnuckler** )

Well, I hope you do continue to read and review in the new year.

(picks out a review from **User:Th3-Dragon-Lord** )

Thank you for putting in so much effort to review every chapter after catching up so suddenly. (reads a little more) And don't worry about your gift, I'll give it to him when we return for New Years.

(picks out two reviews from **User:lazyguy90** and **User:FateBurn** )

Thank you both of you, sorry I have no more words to give to each of you.

(picks out a review from **User:AcclaimingTR** )

As with your gift also, I will pass this along to Issei _eventually_. (suspiciously puts in him his inner jacket pocket)

(picks out a review from **User:Muzaka** )

Hmm (reads over the whole review) Well, thank you for your reminder, I will keep that in mind when we get further into the story. As for the names, I did have certain inspirations;

Like the names for the other members of the Furcas Clan, I borrowed from a series I recently got into: **Invaders of the Rokujouma?!** , more specifically from the legendary Blue Knight, **Rei os Fatra Bertorion** for Lord Raytorian and Lady Fatora. There is an anime that covers the first six and a half light novels out of twenty four so far (all translations available by the way), but it's actually at Volume 7.5 when the story really starts. You'll understand if you ever choose to get around to it.

Uraxis Glasya-Labolas' name is named after **Kou Uraki **and **Pala Sys **from the Gundam series, and the pilots of the two Gundams Falbium is named after ( **G- Falcon** and **Dendro bium GPO3**). Kharlyn and Rosazu also take their names from other pilots of both Gundams; **Defrah Kar** and **Linn** **,** and **Rosa II ** (" _Tsu_ "). I have done this for other characters also, but I won't go into too much detail.

Jarlus Amon's name is a modified anagram of **Alibaba Saluja**, one of the lead characters of **Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic** , who commands a Djinn called Amon, hence I thought it was an appropriate link.

I could go on for a while, but even in peerages, I mixed in characters who were based on real people and also some with names inspired by characters I am aware of.

On to your second question: I was trying to come up with an explanation as to why certain stray devils seemed to mutate into monstrous forms right before they get exterminated. My idea was that since demonic energy is fueled by fear, that by intentionally fueling your energy in a particular place that your body mutates in accordance to what the fear specifies. Like with Sayanna; her mutation was due to Issei's vivid image of fears having nested in his house, and so her body mutated in according to what he remembered of fear in that place. Devils like Kuroka who don't stick around in one place in the human world to feed on its fear wouldn't mutate, which was the whole reason I constructed this explanation.

(picks out a review from **User:RedSS** )

I'll be sure to pass these to Issei, and I also thank you for the drinks. (coughs slightly) But, I will have to pass, since I think I may have already started having one too many eggnogs.

(picks out a review from **User:RavelBestGirl** )

(reads over the entirety) Ok, I'm sorry but I won't be able to answer to all this. I will say that I cannot change my writing style that easily because of one fact; I hate writing conversations in speech marks. Whether it's the interactions, or because I hate having to repeatedly adding those two dots the beginning and ending of every sentence and then have to describe very shortly how they said it. I don't like it, which is why I write long descriptions in order to compensate my dislike for discussion. I like writing script-wise, like I do with my Omakes, but I can't do that for serious writing, so i practiced with a compromise and I managed to get along with writing, so here we are.

(picks out a review from **User:TheNamesBarkeep** )

I'm sorry you were disappointed by my chapter. (takes a sip of eggnog) I don't write for no reason, and I don't unintentionally throw unimportant characters out there that have no purpose later in the story.

(picks out a review from **User:Warrof** )

Most of the characters introduced do reappear, and I don't just add them for the sake of adding them. Spolier alert, since Issei vs Riser isn't going to be the Arc 1 finale, one of the characters introduced is taking up a similar role instead. I shan't say anymore.

(picks out a review from **User:AnimeMyWorld** )

First off, this is an AU, so it's not part of canon, but that's not what you meant. Honestly, at my projection, you're going to be waiting two-four more chapters before we return to the traditional start of DxD in Issei's first week of his second year at Kuoh. The next chapter after New Year will be focused on establishing his place in his first year and how he does before Ravel joins him during his second year.

(picks out a review from **User:DrunkenFistNinja**

(reads through the whole thing) I'm sorry i can't comment on all this, but I will work harder if I can. I do not know what more I can say though.

(picks out a review from **User:Dragon_Rider_66** )

Triaina was never affected by Issei being a servant to the Gremory clan, so I didn't see a point to alter it for the sake of changing clans. And since his [CxC] was crimson because Rias' hair is crimson, it seemed appropriate to change it, but not for Triaina since they were affected by his Evil Pieces more than by other factors.

I'll pass your gift over to Ravel and Issei in the next chapter, not to worry. Thank you for always providing gifts to us.

(picks out a review from **User:War_historian** )

Hmm (ponders) I think to answer your question, I would have to say that it would have to depend on the circumstances; Rias didn't like Riser, and was also appalled by the idea of being forced into marriage. If we were to consider Ravel in canon how she was in Arc 1, I think that she would have believed it was an obligation and wouldn't likely have complained much about it so long as she had a good match.

Honestly, for my fanfic's sake, I hope I can get it write because I have never written about love before. _Plus, I am going to be skewered if I mess this up, so there's plenty of pressure._

(picks out a review from **User:tsun** )

Thank you, and again there is relevance to this, but you'll have to see a little later.

(picks out a review from **User:On_Soaring_Wings** )

You'll get your wish soon enough. Just a little more to get to. If you can't wait, then I'm sorry but I won't rush it just to get there any quicker.

(picks out a review from **User:1337Pwny** )

Yes, you will get your wish. I will not drop this fanfiction until at least that part you have my guarantee on that.

(and finally picks out a review from **User:Ninjafang1331** )

And, thank you for your words and have a great 2017.

(closes the sack and tosses it away, the wipes his brow whilst exhaling)

Well, now that this is over, and this was all we had time for, I will see you next time. So until then, enjoy your winter's break while you still have it, and I will try to keep on writing even when the new term begins. Bye-bye!

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'NinjaFang1331', 'On Soaring Wings', 'tsun', 'War historian', 'Dragon Rider 66', 'DrunkenFistNinja', 'AnimeMyWorld', 'Warrof', 'TheNamesBarkeep', 'RavelBestGirl', 'RedSS', 'Muzaka', 'AcclaimingTR', 'FateBurn', 'lazyguy90', 'Th3-Dragon-Lord', 'Exploding Knuckler', 'Which Brew', and '1337Pwny' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **If you're confused why a devil admires King Solomon, you should really look at your Bible again to realise that his and God's relationship didn't end on the best terms. #THEHaremKing #UltimateContractor #WiseGuysFinishFirst.**

 **. . . You'll understand.**

 **If I can't get my short stories compiled completely by next week, then I'll just skip over it. Can't leave you guys hanging on me like this. So enjoy Issei's first day in High School if that happens.**

 **I'm also not promising my compilation will be any good, but I won't be doing it again I assure you now. It's a pain in the arse.**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**

 **Happy New Year to you all! May 2017 bare better fruit than 2016!**


	8. The Winter's Mass Tales

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release.**

 **Warning: The following is a compilation of short stories I fiddled with during my exam period that I muddled together and put a story around it to make it one single document. This just bridges the huge gap of what happened for the three years before Issei enrolls at Kuoh for his first year. If you are uninterested, don't read. If you are interested but do not like it, you are not obligated to finish it. If you choose to read it and decide this story is no longer worth reading, I ask that you withhold your resignation until after the next chapter. Thank you for reading.**

 **Oh, and if you're going to complain that I've gone away from the Rating Game again, I did say that it was a present for New Years and that I wasn't going to go back to it until the timeline's caught up many times.**

 **Anyways, onward we go. It's going to be a long one.**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

* * *

 **For those who do not wish to read a compilation of short stories, I have provided a context of which you can copy-and-paste into your "find_bar" and skip over to. Enjoy:**

 **Life 1 - Training in Hell** _(_ Part I)

 _As part of a deal set up by Ruval, Issei receives tutelage under Tannin, but has yet to realise how difficult it will be._

 **Life 2 - Gone Rogue**

 _Ravel recalls the mock trial set up condemning the Nekoshou Shirone for the actions committed by her elder sister, Kuroka._

 **Life 3 - Dragon Queen** _(_ Part II)

 _Taking a training exercise too seriously, Issei wanders out of Tannin's territory, only to find a unfriendly face not happy to Ddraig again._

 **Life 4 - Sweetest Honey, Strongest Lion**

 _Ravel retells the events in and around the battle for inheritance of the Bael Clan, between half-brothers Sairaorg and Magdaran._

 **Life 5 - Forest of Familiars** _(_ Part III)

 _Escaping certain death, Issei finds more than he bargained for when he accidentally crash lands in the Forest of Familiars._

 **Life DX - Legend of the Dragons**

 _Ddraig narrates an abridged summary of his entire lifetime; from birth to death, from a few notable host till present day._

* * *

It was the twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month in AM 5767, or December 25th 2006 in the overworld. I, Hyoudou Issei, was enjoying my fifth celebration of the winter's mass under the Phenex Household.

You may guessed that I have avoided mentioning Christmas entirely from my vocabulary, and that is because devils do not celebrate that holiday. I don't think I need to explain why this is a term neglected. Not only is it a proxy celebration used to cover its roots from other mythologies, the statement that it's the celebration of Jesus' birthday is completely wrong.

In fact, Jesus, or Yeshua, was born April 17th or at least that's what most of the eldest devil scholars have recorded when they say the twenty ninth day of the first month, ironically placing his birthday one day after my own which felt a little giddy in the ironic sense that such an important figure was born close to the same day I was, albeit with nearly a two millennia difference.

Many devils simply choose to remember him as the first god to die by a Sacred Gear, giving birth to the term [Longinus].

I could probably also mention his birth year was AM 3758 or 4 BCE, with the Common Era actually starting from the year he was publicly acknowledged as the son of Jehovah, but now I'm just shoving in random facts for no means necessary.

So this festival for the winter's mass, Satanalia as it was called, replaces the overworld's Christmas holidays, typically starting from the or December 17th and ending on the 25th aka the last day of the eleventh month. The festival was adopted from the Roman holiday "Saturnalia", which was then altered by the obviously clever pun. In Deftodiz, its more "formal" name is "Tezzo Viozosofoy" or "The Gathering [for the] (Four Great) Satans", but for the contemporary society following the victory of the Anti-Satan Faction, it simply became referred to as the winter's mass for political reasoning.

"It was literally training in hell."

"I don't understand."

As per tradition, since the party thrown for the last day of the winter's mass was open to all devil nobility and servants, Ravel and I would meet by the window that overlooked the front door where the many guests entered and proceeded to join in the festivities, along with the many varieties of decorations and entertainment that lined the front garden.

As my *ahem* "special condition" meant that being around that many powerful devils would arouse too much suspicion, even with the seal still active, it was safer to keep me out of their attentions completely. So, while all the family, peerage members and servants were attending to the party guests, I was the only one to never make formal attendance, and instead resided myself to watch the last day festivities from the large window at the very top of the mansion that overlooked the front of the home.

I understood the necessity in this action, but it made the last day of the winter's mass very lonely.

"I-it's a human expression" I explained. "It means 'it was really hard that it's like it will kill you'."

"That makes no sense."

Having spent the greater part of the year apart; me with Tannin, or with the other peerage members training, preparing, learning my various duties and requirements necessary to carry out the roles I may be required to do. Ravel, had her studies, her appearances in public, . . . and other things all nobility needed. Since we had other occupations for the twelve other months, rarely seeing each other except for the few weeks between.

But, this holiday was for us as much as either of our birthdays.

At seven o'clock, before all the guests had arrives, we would meet up here to watch them enter. Watch the sunlight die and the artici- _purposely_ artificial lights spring to life in the darkness. And, on this particular occasion, tease her brain with a human saying uncommon to her young ears.

"Yeah, I suppose you'd have to-

"No I mean the expression; if you as a human were training in hell, you would already be dead, so it makes no sense to be training to kill yourself when the deed was already fulfilled."

Though her answer was very serious, I couldn't help but laugh a little in response to how literal she took it to heart and decomposed it down to the last fact. Though laughing a little to long as I was, she got a little annoyed at my reaction. Backhandedly smacking my shoulder, I couldn't find any other reaction to her pouting than it was cute to see her lose composure, after all these years like it always used to be.

"I missed this."

"Missed what."

"Your political correcting. The way that your words become so much looser when you speak onward and onward till you forget that you're a lady. It's suits you better sometimes."

"I'm your king now, baka. Don't say such a thing like that about me again."

She sounded angry, but her tone was too exaggerated that it sounded like she was trying to reenact one of the old great plays that were constantly being performed at the Grand Ashyrow Alsiel Theatre in Lucifaad; "There Were The Ten", "Love in Crimson and Silver", "The Blue Knight and the Silver Princess Part I & II", "The Faust and the Pheles", "The Tragedy of Queen Lilith", etc. etc.

Deciding upon it, I took it a little too far, by reciting "Blue Knight I's Act 3 Scene 7":

"As by your will, my princess. Though we come from two different worlds, I promise to stay all evils from your door so long as this blade at my side remains unbent."

The embarrassment easily got to her, especially since I was being expressionly loud for dramatic effect, complete with over the top acting that would make myself cower my face if it ever was being recorded.

"Stop it you idiot. And it's: "Though we come different worlds apart, I swear unto you that no evil shall harm you so long by the sword at my sheath remains unwavering." You did that on purpose."

I did.

"You're a jerk sometimes."

I smiled to her remark. Though iw as being quite impolite, it felt a little more relieving than to be exchanging physical attacks than verbal ones.

"Only because I can do this stuff with you."

"You didn't do anything like this . . . when you were with the dragons then?"

I shook my head, pressing it against the glass in front of me as I watched the nobles walk in two-by-two towards the front door along the red carpet rolled out especially for them. What can I say except this; the Phenex Clan knows how to throw a lavished party every single year.

"Not really. To put it bluntly, most of them are battle fanatics, so they constantly like to butt heads with each other frequently when they get bored or cranky, which was most of the time."

"Sounds tough to survive in."

After she took another sip of her drink, I could see her wincing slightly at the greatly bitter taste. It was my fault for suggesting we share a glass of dragon apple juice. As dragons are primarily carnivorous, their taste buds are actually very weak which allows them to consume a great many things without a fuss, but they tend to like their food to have very strong tastes to make up for their lack of ability. For devils like us, who have better senses than omnivorous humans, this sudden overflow of strong flavour was a little too much.

Unlike I, who had to learn to survive off of this kind of food so was used to the taste, it was definitely not something that Ravel could swallow down as easily. I eased her suffering by taking the glass from her hand and setting it down alongside mine on the floor beneath the windowsill we were sitting on. It would probably be better to forget about the drink for a while. I wouldn't say I enjoy the taste anymore than she did, I just had the stronger stomach, and knew how much of it could be sampled before one of us would start feeling an uncomfortable bubbling in our stomachs.

"You don't know the half of it;" I continued after seating myself back down "you should try it when there's someone who had their guts out for you the moment you walk in."

"Was there really someone like that."

"Tannin's youngest son, actually. He didn't like the idea that I was there because his father lost a bet with your brother."

The look on her face screwed slightly like she thought I was making it up. But since she knew that I wasn't a very convincing liar that there was no way I could easily hide my expressions from her. Sad to say, but my pupils get smaller and avoid eye contact when I lie. Desperate lies also cause me to break out in sweat easier, so it is noticeable in quite a few different ways.

None of the above happened. So, she knew it wasn't a lie.

"It's a stupid reason, but . . . I guess I can understand that. What exactly did he do?"

"It sort of started the day I left for my first training session."

* * *

 **Life 1 - Training in Hell**

One month had passed since I had turned my head from my old home for the last time, and I, Hyoudou Issei, began my first day of training under Tannin-ojiisama.

A while back, Lord Ruval and Tannin-ojiisama made a bet after their last match, with Ruval claiming victory. Though I do not know what Tannin had bet on before making the deal, since it was Ruval's win, Tannin was obligated to uphold his end of the deal.

To explain the suffix; well, unlike a sensei or someone who are actually qualified with how they teach a person, Tannin was more like and uncle, _or a grandfather_ , just someone who reacted with the first thing that came to their heads teaching wise and assumed that it would go well. And who calls you out on it when you don't succeed even when it's quite the impossible task set before you.

. . . I am not cracking wise here. I am dead serious.

Awaking at dawn, or at least a simulation of the sun rising over the horizon at 6:00 am, it took an hour to prepare before I was waiting at the front entrance of the Phenex Mansion. Though Ravel had wanted to be there to see me off, she had private lessons to prepare for so her sleep was a necessity.

As Lord Ruval had been the one to set this opportunity up, he was waiting with me, along with his Queen Junyspar, and also Lord Rivalen's Queen Lupambulus who was there to oversee the event on his Lord's behalf.

It was luck that Ruval and Tannin were consistent rivals that a visit from the former Dragon King wouldn't catch such unusual attention.

On the strike of the 7th hour, almost to precision, a great shadow emerged over the faux light. A great purple western dragon with golden horns that curled slightly inwards like the images of devils in Christian lore. Draped in black and silver robes that covered his lower half, it was a surprise to see a dragon wearing anything to be perfectly honest.

He didn't talk as he landed. The wind rushed by my face as he slowly dropped his wings behind his back and he folded his arms across his chest. He wasn't even looking at me. No, he was looking to my left arm, at Ddraig.

 **"Nol Lost Naako Doi Paar."**

( _"From what I have tasted of desire"_ )

His voice ripped through the air like thunder from his mountainous height, standing bipedally blocking the artificial sun from his stance. His figure looked more imposing than it had been during his latest match against Ruval.

In response to his words, Ddraig awoke himself from my arm. He didn't activate my {Boosted Gear} since it would break the seal too soon, so we had been practising the last few weeks to allow him elbow room so to speak in order to converse without alarming anyone within an appropriate radius.

 **["Zu'u Kriista Nust Wo Lahney Naal Yol."]**

( _"I hold with those who favour fire"_ )

From Ddraig told me later, this exchange in speeches was something of a traditional form of greeting between one dragon to another. Something about rooting out the mindless beasts with the ones who could properly communicate.

Though somehow, I doubt a dragon was so poetic as to invent such an accumulation of phrases.

 **"Been a long while, hasn't it Ddraig."**

 **["Indeed Tannin. The last we met, you were still the Sixth Dragon King, and I had a body of my own."]**

 **"A great many can change in two millennia. When you reach a certain age, you realise just how immature you once were.**

 **["If those hatchlings of yours knew that you had gone soft."]**

 **"If they could hear us, I'd whip them around the head for eavesdropping."**

I don't what seemed stranger between the dragon living in my left arm or the dragon standing towering in front of me, but regardless of how unsually aquanited theyr were with each other, it was not an unknown fact that Tannin-ojiisama did indeed have children of his own. Three children in fact;

Mulstrun was the eldest son and the spitting image of his father in all except height, and the colour of his eyes were a stronger red than Tannin's blue, perhaps inherited from his mother. The name " _Mul Strun_ " (strong storm) was given to him for his impressive use of not just mimicking his father's [Meteor Barrage] attack, but actually improving upon it that made it more effective for his size and utility.

Aldokun the middle son, was much leaner than his two brothers, almost like he was an Eastern Dragon rather than a Western one. He was purple as they were, but the sleekness of his body made it very shiny so it appeared quite a few shades lighter under the artificial sun. He earned his name " _Al Do Kun"_ (destroyer of light) after destroying three consecutive light spears in his first engagement with a fallen angel.

And finally Bova, who was the youngest, was also the biggest and strongest of his three children apparently. He was a lot larger and bulkier than most dragons were at his age. He was only double my age at this point at twenty six, but he was very immature as expected of a being with natural longevity. His name " _Bo Vah"_ ( _spring flight_ ) was earned for his rapid growth, allowing him to be able to fly unaided before his first birthday.

I didn't meet the older two the entire time I was training under Tannin except during the occasion visits, but I never spoke with either of them. Bova on the other hand was often there to give me a hard time.

Standing next to him made me feel exceptionally small, but that was when I presumed that his mental age was the same as his physical age. I can't recall why I ever felt so intimidated by him.

 **"It's not easy being a father, but I love the little malkiirs ( _kids_ ) all the same. Can't say the same about the missus though."**

"And how is Lady Tunannu?"

 **"I'd . . . rather not say. Losing to you again, Phenex, has landed me in the doghouse so to speak."**

"Well you'll just have to wait for the next time. But, I guarantee that you won't get the result you want."

 **"That I wish I could take you on your offer, but I confess that I am finding it difficult maintain many duties that come with being an Ultimate-class devil despite Mephisto's more lenient nature."**

"Mayhaps you should consider retiring for a while then?"

 **"Oh-ho-ho, not until old Rahdom gets back on his feet. I'd hate the miss his attempt of a comeback over a trivial issue of semi-retirement just yet. Plus, I still want one more score to settle with you before I consider putting my claws up."**

"Then, I'm afraid you won't be able to retire till Heaven's Gates fall into the deepest pits of Cocytus and put the entire Underworld into a permanent Ice Age. I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy a winter retirement with Saint Peter then."

This went on for a little while longer, and I barely got my own interaction with Tannin-ojiisama whilst he was in the middle of his . . . um, talk with Ruval.

'[Just get on his back while he still remembers you're here.]'

Following Ddraig's advice, I proceeded to do just as he suggested. Admittedly, climbing a dragon's back was quite easy, but the vertical angle did make it quite treacherous, what with direction his scales were facing. It would have been easier to slide right off of him than to be climbing with direct contact to the cliff face with all its sharp purple edges.

 **["Though I would hate to dismiss a conversation between close friends, the sole purpose of meeting at dawn was precisely so we could leave earlier in the day."]**

 **"Still impatient as always, Wuthdovah** ( _"old man"_ ). **"**

 **["Hah! I am at least one millennia younger than you are. Plus, I died in my prime, whereas you're still pushing yours."]**

Though the two dragons laughed at each other's comments with all their heart's content, it was probably due to Ddraig's last reply that training was especially difficult.

 **"Hahahah. I'm gonna make you regret that remark."**

Yes. It was definitely after hearing him say that I felt a chill running up my spine.

The journey wasn't very long, but Tannin made it his mission to make my journey there a living he- . . . _very hard_ on me. I had to remind myself to keep Ddraig's spectral mouth shut next time he engage in conversation with the Old Geezer.

Like termite mounds that rose from the ground, the valley of the dragons in Tannin's territory emerged into the landscape into view the moment we dropped back below the clouds again. The sheer quantity of residents there was also overwhelming; weyrs of them flew across the sky in great numbers, while even greater of them nested in the pointed summits.

Flying over the great orchard of dragon apples that grew like wild flowers over the thousands of acres of land, Tannin finally stopped and slowly descended into a crevice that opened up and swallowed us below the ground.

"When do we begin training?" I asked him as we approached the outskirts of his castle; I should probably mention his home was buried into the side of the canyon's opening, and that its spires were pointing downwards like a collection of stalactites inside of a cave. Definitely one of the more unique places of residence in the Underworld.

Instead of landing, he continued to hover between the endless ravines below his wings, with his face looking towards the castle, but he showed no signs of moving forward. It was only when he started moving did I realise what he intended to do;

"Training begins now!"

Without giving me the opportunity to prepare or hang on to him, he performed a barrel roll, and sure enough I found myself resting not on his back, but upon the open air, which could not support me leaving me to plummet directly down into the misty smog down, down, down.

I want to say I didn't scream bloody murder, but I wasn't that brave as to keep my voice from escaping instinctively. I'll . . . just omit what I actually sounded like, f-for meaningful reasons.

I would like to make an important note that I had never once before sprouted my wings. I knew that I had them but I had never been taught how to release them from my back, and thus falling was the only choice I had at this moment.

I don't know how far down I was, as I was in so much of a panic that i shut my eyes instinctively.

I remember the wind brushing swiftly past my ear, and how they started popping a little, which made me wonder just how far down I really was falling. I felt strangely sick from all the motions I was experiencing, and due to shutting my eyes, I was unaware of which was up anymore as I continued to free fall down, down and down. Further, and further and further I was falling. And, I waited for the ground to arrive.

Then, there was a tug on my shoulders before I felt my self being constricted by four iron-like fingers, and when I opened my eyes, I was in a giant purple claw. Though it didn't belong to Tannin-ojiisama.

 **"Get yourself together, you Krent!"**

"H-huh? What?"

Though I had Evil Pieces that could help me understand every language spoke, most dragons in the Underworld spoke almost entirely in Deftodiz rather than Thuum, which meant that suddenly abruptly changing languages never clicked. So Bova's insult towards me never sank in until I finally learnt that that "krent" was the equivalent of calling someone a "runt".

He ruffled up scales as he shook his head, continuing to fly. He think he also spat in disgust a little, but I believe that it combusted and melded into the fog surrounding us.

 **"Bah! What would you know of such a small thing? The first month I was born, I was flung from my nest and I learned to spread my wings and fly or I would have died. If it weren't for your connections, I would have let you drop."**

'Great, thank you. I'm so grateful'

His attitude didn't exactly leave me with the best of impressions of Tannin's youngest son. My own thoughts were so sarcastic that I couldn't care less with what he was saying any further. He continued on and on about . . . why he was so much better than me, how he could do these things that was so amazing that I couldn't even comprehend. It was all just pretentious, so I mentally blocked it out as he continued to carry me through the canyon of mist.

 **"Right, unto your first training!"**

That word, training, is what suddenly brought me back to my senses.

"That wasn't training?"

 **"Nah that was just the warm-up. You're training is to glide over a net."**

I tried to look up at him with my puzzled look, but from the angle he was grabbing me, it was easier said than done.

"A net?"

I really should have taken not of that smile before asking that question. Maybe He had been smiling all this time knowing full well about the net, but I couldn't exactly tell that easily with the kind of structure his face had.

 **"It's made of blessed silver. Specially ordered from Lord Alsiel. You're a devil now after all, the stuff is going to sting like hell if you so much as touch even with your clothes."**

Though I had never once touched silver till that day, the stories of horror surrounding the description of the pain it inflicts was almost instinctual. The best and most well-known description was recorded by an anonymous author, who stated:

 _"A holy metal at which when formed in the fires produced of Uriel's sword and cooled in holy water, reflects the light of the moon where neigh even the shadows may hide. The penance paid by Judas Iscariot for selling the protection of his liege for thirty pieces of silver, of which now burns the very souls of being whom wield or allow loyalty to demonic magic. Once touched upon the surface, the blessed metal pierces the skin in a white flash, becoming hot like the surface of a star. The surface does not show any signs of injury due to the magic tied to it works from the inside out, shocking the nerves and exposing the inflicted's allegiance. Direct penetration in the form of weapons is enough to prevent the wound from clotting whilst also poisoning the affected area if not removed quickly enough. Though many of the pure-bloods may be able to withstand the injuries produced when cut or stabbed by silver, those with no enough power to resist the might of the Faux God will lose all form in this world after a fatal strike, and not even their voices will remain connected with the living."_

After hearing all that, I immediately regretted reading through Aleister's volumes late at night.

"Any advice?" I asked, hopeful he wouldn't be quite as cruel as he was making himself out to be.

I was wrong.

 **"If you start smoking; stop, drop and roll. Bwa-ha-ha-hah!"**

And from that day on, as I started shouting in absolute protest whilst attempting to free myself from his grip, I would begin training in the Valley of the Dragons. From silver net flights to land mine runs. From free falling to vertical climbs. From fist fights, where apparently feet, heads and even tails counted as a fist, to one-on-one flame protrusion collisions, which I don't need to say was difficult considering I couldn't distinguish the differences between exhaling and expelling so I ended up getting burnt more times than I was able to at least successfully participate.

And I would get my comeuppance after a year and two months, . . . and sixteen days but it's not as if I was counting, when I finally managed to get strong enough to life Bova over my shoulders, with some helpful {boosts} included of course, and tossed him into that blessed silver net he liked to joke so much about.

Even with his thick dragon hide, the stinging sensation was enough to make him stop, drop and roll, so I got in a good laugh in the end.

Though he ended up getting his revenge when offered me that extra strong glass of dragon apple juice as a "sign of camaraderie". After a sip of it made my tongue go absolutely numb from horrid sampling, I told him to bite me which he did quite unexpectedly with his large spear-like fangs. Even then I couldn't taste anything for an entire weak except the morbidly bitter juices.

But . . . with all that said, nothing in the Valley of the Dragons could prepare me for the dangers I may have to face in the overworld, nor could I have counted on my training to keep me alive when I encountered a being that far surpassed Tannin-ojiisama's strength.

But, that's another story.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

"Robert Frost."

"Beg pardon?"

" _From what I've tasted of desire / I hold with those who favour fire._ It's the third and fourth lines of Robert Frost's poem, "Fire and Ice"."

Having finished recapping the first week of training almost two and a half years ago, I was shocked to see that she had picked up on something I had long since passed over during my reminiscing.

"Could it be coincidence?"

"Who knows? Perhaps the poet had befriended a dragon and learnt those words before deciding to craft them into verse."

"Perhaps."

"Did you ever settle your quarrel with Bova?"

I nodded, but it was also sort of a shake like I was trying to balance out the answer in my head while I came top the conclusion.

"Yes, but it took time. _A lot of time._ " I took up my glass again and swallowed a couple of gulps of dragon apple juice down my throat again. The strong taste was just one of many reminders that a lot had changed.

The first day he ever offered me a glass, I looked set to enjoy it, but the bitterness caught me by surprise and I choked on it. I swore that my tongue had shriveled up and died after wetting it in the sticky horribly sweet drink. I was surrounded by laughter for a good five minutes before he fell backwards gasping for air.

Thinking about his reaction still ticks me off a little. But, I still feel nostalgic drinking this juice every single time. It was one of those tastes that never get any better with time, but you still like to have it regardless.

"I received my own name though."

"A new name?"

"No, I'll still be Issei, but I was awarded my own _dragon_ name, even if it was just an honourary one."

"Which is?"

I wanted to wait for a dramatic introduction, but if you knew what name I was offhandedly awarded, you would understand why my pause was more about hesitation that presentation.

". . . Kahdovmed."

If the Underworld was ever to be infested with crickets, this would have been one of their starring moments. I can say that it was bad name, but that was usually the problem with someone who was not born with a name to suddenly be given one out of the blue.

"What does that mean?"

" _self-worthy dragon-like_."

There was a longer pause following the revelation of my dragon name's etymology, and another smacking of lips at another sip of dragon apple juice.

"Sounds better in Thuum."

"Pfft. Yes, I perfectly agree."

We laughed it off luckily, and the returned back to watching through the large window as many of the guests started to make their public appearances;

The Household servants were all still in the main halls cleaning and serving the guest who had already arrived, and the peerage members were stationed along the red carpet to welcome tonight's guest into the party. Lord Rivalen's peerage kept to the left side of the carpet, lined up from Lupambulus furthest from the house and then proceeding by height going towards the main door where Lord and Lady Phenex were awaiting to greet their guests;

Though in traditional times, the Old Maou's families would have been the first to arrive or so I have heard, with the houses of the Seventy-Two Pillars following after in their traditional order, now it falls to the New Maou's family to take their place out of the old norm.

The first to arrive was the House that technically led the New Maou faction, the Lord Zeoticus, 4th [Duke of Gremory], and Lady Venelana Gremory nee Bael were the first to approach. Though it was uncommon for the Lord to walk ahead of the Maou, Lord Gremory was the exception for this one night due to his past friendship with lord Phenex when they were both children. Greeting each other in a manner unlike the rest of nobility, with open armed hugs that were barely visible from our point of view, but it was easy to recognise it was there.

Looking down at the Gremory clan from the window, the only one who was absent was Rias. Though at the time we had only met her the once, it did pipe our curiosity if we would meet again only to be dashed at the sight of her lack of attendance. Though we were made aware that she was studying in the overworld at the time, it had be presumed she would have returned home during the winter's mass, but had apparently chosen to stay due to schooling commitments.

Though her main motivation could have been called into question, no one pressed any further.

Behind the two were the Maou Sirzech Lucifer and his wife Grayfia Lucifuge, with their nine year old son, Millicas Gremory clinging to his mother's arm. It would be one of the few times I would ever see the three as a complete family with Lady Grayfia in her martial and maternal role rather than her serving one.

I felt half fascinated and half nervously intimidated looking at Maou Lucifer even from such far distance between the two of us. The sight of his eyes possible turning and glaring directly at me like it did that day haunted me. The knowledge he withheld to society about my existence was enough to inform me that he had motivations of his own, and the enigmatic nature of it was on my thoughts almost every week since our first meeting.

I wondered then if I ducked below the window sill if he would still see me, or at the very least be able to sense I was now hiding from his sights?

. . . Actually, on a more positive note, seeing the Maou Lucifer did bring up something I had at the time been meaning to ask about for a while;

"There was a lot of talk going on about this trial while I was away. Something to do with . . . a white cat, I believe?"

It was only one year ago, but the infamy of the trial was still circulating mouth-to-ear throughout the entire Underworld. By the time that it reached the ears of the dragons of Tannin's land, the only credible information about it was that the accused was a small white kitten, and at the end it was Maou Sirzechs Lucifer who interfered with it. Many different accounts varied on what the trial was about, so there was no viable information related to the charges nor what the outcome came about to.

It seemed strange how Tannin knew next to nothing about this despite his overlord and King being present on that day, or at least according to one such speaker.

Ravel nodded in response to my question. It was nice that she was still trying to continue drinking despite it obviously being so painful to her taste buds, but she really didn't need to keep forcing down something that was too horrid for her.

I could never say that out loud, so i have to act in accordance rather than lead with words. So I took both glasses back and hid them behind a potted plant instead of leaving them to the side for them to be consumed by forgetful curiosity.

"I was there."

"You attended the hearing?"

"Is it so hard to believe?"

"No. It was just . . . unexpected. I didn't think . . . you know; you'd be interested in that sort of thing."

"It was, more or less, an entertaining event."

I half smiled a little, while humourously exhaling.

"You're starting to sound like dignified noblewoman."

"Not like my mother?"

"Lady Phenex doesn't hold such natural disposition as you do."

Had I not , I probably would have loosened a snicker at that moment, which would have seriously been inappropriate. Actually, inappropriate wouldn't have been the word. _Unintelligible_ would suit the role much more realistically.

"I'll be sure to relay your words to her."

"Please don't. I'm not a cute as I once was, I don't think she'll let me survive this time."

I went cold at the sudden thought; though I had been Lady Rozalva's Pawn for over a year since my reincarnation nearly three years before, there is a specific reason why I have avoided talking about the Marchioness' age, and I only got away with an evil miasma heart-to-heart talk that has been well cemented into my memories.

I will say no more.

As I looked back over to Ravel, who was throwing her head back and stretching herself away from the window frame, most likely to relax the strain that had built up from leaning against the polished and painted wood, I most unfortunately had to force my sights away when I came to my senses just how immensely I was deliberately drawn in;

Though I had rarely seen my King in the two years and ten months we had been apart, it never occurred to me in the few days we did reunite within the years how much she was also growing up until this night.

Of course the awkwardly aware fifteen year old would suddenly take notice of how much her buxom line had also grown. With her stretching her arms over head, her chest and the clothes wrapped over them were pulled upwards with them, which only emphasised their size and shape, making it all the worse for me to maintain the ability to think clearly and to act without surrendering required strength of will.

I could not prevent the sudden interest I was developing, but it would have been in rather bad form for a servant to suddenly be caught gawking at his King's growing ample figure. I had to steel myself against these kinds of thoughts.

Then again, perhaps I should have stopped and looked at the bigger picture before reaching that conclusion.

Quickly changing the subject to remove the embarrassment over my face, having had to hold my left hand over my nostril, I returned to our earlier discussion.

"I'm curious; how entertaining was this trial?"

She rolled her eyes after I expressed my own opinion based on my ignorance to the topic of conversation was. It wasn't the type of roll that would have conceited me as a buffoon, but one where the very memory of it seemed to incite something very well unheard of from her perspective. The small smile that came with it was the clue to deciphering that it was much larger than a simple court case.

"I say entertaining, but realistically as part of the spectators, it was far from it. Like the battle between two titans taking place."

"Like a Rating Game match?"

She sighed, rolling her right hand as if she had a figmentive glass held within it.

"No. Nothing like a match. It was stand-off:"

* * *

 **Life 2 - Gone Rogue**

It was the 1st day of the 12th month, and I, Ravel Phenex, was witnessing my first trial.

Though it was usually improper for one such as myself to be allowed entry, my parents thought that I needed to at least make the attendance of one as soon as possible in order to better understand the judicial system.

However, my first impression of how our kind dealt with those we called criminals was, for better words, civilized barbarism.

"Bring in the accused."

As the judges, that is to say the five selected heads of the remaining seventy-two pillars, called forth for the condemned, the audience in the courtroom turned their heads at the large doors situated behind them, when two armoured guards walked in with a cage between the two of them.

Many of the witnesses started the make conversation as the wardens brought forth the criminal in a small pet-sized cage through the many rows of high and middle-class devils who had chosen to make the journey to bear witness to this act of

In all misfortunes, due to my youth, my bad draw in seating and angle from where the accused was being brought towards the stands placed in the middle of a large circle to be vultured by the judges, I was unable to get a good view by just simply reclining into my section of the bench.

To savour my need to investigate the condemned, I stood with both feet upon my seat to catch the shortest of glimpses before mother made me resume my sitting position.

What I saw was not wasted though, and though I had but a glance I saw the small white kitten cowering in the centre of her steel imprisonment.

I saw two golden coloured eyes, but they were like brilliant jaspers that had been left to wallow in abandonment collecting dust that they had lost all shine behind a deep layer of dull grey.

As she wasn't a devil, not even a reincarnated devil, the whole trial was a farce;

Not only was her status as an "unknown entity" meant that she was illegally in the Underworld due to her age now exceeding the below thirteen years limit, but she wasn't a devil so she was not obligated to have an attorney, nor was she allowed to speak in her defence, say more than yes or no when asked a question, and nor was she permitted to Anthrothropise at any time during this court hearing and remain in her full youkai form.

In her favour, at least, was that if she wasn't entitled to a defence, there could be no prosecutor, so all discussion and questioning during the trial was to be made by the speaker-of-the-bailey, a voluntary role chosen by the Maou.

Whether it was to be in her favour though entirely rested upon the speaker's motives.

Standing in judgement were the Lords Keyargar Bael, 5th [King of Bael], Borscht Dantalion, 4th [Duke of Dantalion], Kilreign Focalor 6th [Duke of Focalor], Hydeway Vassago, 3rd [Prince of Vassago], and Jarlus Amon, 5th [Marquis of Amon]. For appearances, it seemed fair, but there was an obvious under layer when it came to political allegiances;

With the Bael clan heading the Old King's Faction, and both Focalor and Vassago seemingly supporting the New Maous, it came down to the other two judges whichever way the vote would swing as it would have appeared that both sides would never intentionally side with the other's vote.

From a bystander's point of view, this charade was as apparent as a Cheshire smile.

"May the speaker-of-the-bailey enter."

Entering in scene to everyone's shock, surprise and awe, cropped with his signature combination of red and blue hair, and matching heterochromic eyes, the chosen representative was none other than Lord Mephisto Pheles, 1st [Baron of Pheles] and Head of the Magician's Association, Grauzauberer.

The great quantity of gasps that elapsed over the room was well founded, considering that such an important person, even one who was from the original generation of devils like the first heads and even the Great Devil Kings themselves. The figure that had chosen to make his few regular appearances in the Underworld as opposed to his near-permanent residence in the Overworld is by definition a living legend by his own hands nonetheless;

The creator of 108 spells, of which 83 are still used on a regular basis. The first being to forge the contemporary terms of contract of the benefit of both parties against the old ideas of trading favours for souls. The only devil in existence to have ever forge a partnership with the great magician, Johann Georg Faust. To only hold the rank of Baron is also quite the insult when he is the first in the Underworld to ascend to the rank of Ultimate-class devil rather than be born into it.

But what made his appearance most unusual, when you remove his personal disdain for residing or even contributing further to devil society due to personal preferences, was that he was an avid supporter of the New Maou's Faction.

To have him as speaker-of-the-bailey was a point of power in this courtroom; no matter the decision of the judges may be, if the speaker chooses to sway the spectators' favour in opposition to the final verdict, then it ultimately turns against the judges who vote against public opinion.

Having him speaking would be already putting him at odds with Lord Bael. And even from this far away and buried within a sea of watchful eyes, it was clear that Lord Bael was aware that he had been set up by how uncomfortable he was not fussing from his seat of power.

Looking down upon Lord Pheles, who was already set with a goal in mind, and across from him Lords Vassago and Focalor, who were apparently already within his support, it looked like an obvious check had been placed before their match had even begun. Even with the votes of Lords Dantalion and Amon, they were more like wild cards than anything else and not something an experienced character would expect to rely upon without turning the field.

But, for all intents and purposes and no matter what goals each side was playing to achieve, the case would be settled according to the laws set by the governing bodies from the dawn of our race to the present.

Lord Bael, who held lead judgement by laws according to his higher nobility rank of King, was ready to deliver the summary of the case before them.

"The charge has been set; on the 28th day of the 9th month, there was a murder."

Lord Bael was experienced in public address, and he knew how to best make use of speech to emphasise particular sections in his favour. Though everyone who had made attendance knew very well that this was a trial of murder, his delivery seemed to capture the audience's shock once more.

Even I, who had yet to really understand just how dire this place was, was captivated by how he spoke and felt like I was being roped in to his words.

"A murder most foul took place in the residence of our Lord Nekark Egin, 2nd [Baron of Egin], may the Maou rest his soul. The Lord Egin was slain most viciously and under the most deplorable of reasons."

The Egin clan was originally a subservient house for the House of Ziminiar, before the clan was exterminated. Lord Levizan Egin was awarded the posthumous rank of 1st [Baron of Egin] for his role during and shortly after the Bombing of Lilith in 1865 CE, which was then passed along to his son, the late Lord Nekark shortly afterwards, but he never did truly earn the role nor was he groomed for any such duties that came with nobility.

It was not uncommon for people to acknowledge how disgracefully the late Lord Egin had acted while he was still alive, but with a serious decline in pure-blooded devils, leniency was executed in order to maintain what few bloodlines still existed. His death was a more serious ordeal to the standing of devilkind rather than himself as a person, and thus we come to this place.

"On the night of the ninth, the reincarnated Bishop of Two named Kuroka, did so willingly and knowingly attack and kill her master, Lord Egin. Not only is this in violation of the laws that govern the reincarnation our Maou Beelzebub has set in place, but murder itself without due cause is also in violation of basic devil law, and as such is already guilty. Since the primary accused has fled the scene, her guilt is automatically imposed, as rightfully judged by the hearing passed three nights previous."

It was public knowledge about the new SS ranked stray devil on the loose, but wherever much of the news was true was never formally published.

The hearing made between the selected judges of the day, the Lords Temphuran Astaroth, 5th [Duke of Astaroth], Arganeigh Sitri, 7th [Prince of Sitri], Paqommun Balam, 8th [King of Balam], Raytorian Furcas, 1st [Earl of Furcas], and Kalmar Barbatos, 5th [Duke of Barbatos], had made the choice based on the investigation reports of the crime scene, and the absences of the accused meant that a formal trial could not be held, and so a declaration had been made based on what evidence was present and nothing more.

Pointing downward an accusing finger towards the kitten cowering in the cage surrounded by the five lords, Lord Bael's voice altered from sympathetic to acussing like the transition between the two was as natural as breathing.

"Before you, most humble people of the Underworld is the ghost beast-"

"Excuse my interruptions, my Lord Bael, but the term you are looking for is "Youkai", not ghost beast."

With a callous smile, and by some obvious lax tone of voice that seemed like he was playing around, Lord Pheles correction of Lord Bael's statement. As the speaker, he was in every rights to ensure that the judicial records only contained the correct facts, even while all of it was being recorded for the Great Library in Lucifaad. But, even to one as young as oneself, I couldn't help but notice how condescending it almost sounded while he was deliberately making a fool out of him.

As Lord Bael was obligated to follow the laws rather than seek any reason to oppose them, he was forced to accept Lord Pheles' words rather than protest his way of address.

". . . Thank you, Lord Pheles. *ahem* The Youkai before you, stands accused of many related crimes. Though condemnation by charges of both murder and manslaughter cannot be taken into account due to no such evidence to suggest such cases have been found."

"The crimes of: Aiding and abetting. Preceding knowledge of the crime. Withholding of said knowledge, synonymous to that of treason. . ."

A list of various crimes were piled on during the hearing, none of which Lord Pheles has any control to protest as of yet unless the charge was falsely added without the speaker's knowledge. As the list grew longer without interruption, the gasps only grew longer with it.

" . . . And, by the oldest laws by the late great Maou, the most heinous of charges, that of Bad Blood."

Bad Blood. The charge was simple; if you were related to the criminal, you were often seen as being equally capable of committing said crime again. Parents and distant relations of the initially accused could be exempted since Bad Blood referred to sharing near identical DNA to the accused. Siblings and descendants were the primary targets of this charge, and very few ever got leniency.

One such case would be the war criminal, Elucid Lucifuge; though he had been killed in the Civil War and was never formally charged for his experimentation of devils, the charge of Bad Blood was placed on his elder sister Grayfia despite having already been pardoned. I don't know any more of the details than that unfortunately, nor do I really know the outcome except the charge was pressed no further.

"The accused before you, Shirone, is the younger sister of the SS stray devil, and was also present on the night of gruesome scene that took place. Bad blood doth often run deep in the family, and as such we are all already at risk of death upon our own by allowing such Bad Blood to continue to roam free unsupervised. I'm know you are all aware of your history as am I, of the Corson siblings."

The incident dates back to the 19th century, Marbelle Corson and Gryparron Corson, her half-brother from a human mother, both got acquitted on the charge of Bad Blood, one of the few cases that proved to have been viable; The heiress had been the one convicted of the 1865 CE Bombing of Lilith, claiming less than a hundred noble high-class devils, and a little under a thousand lower class devils also.

Her brother had be caught with evidence to suggest he was planning a sequential bombing of Lucifaad after the Anti-Satan Faction captured the city from the Old Maous. When the undetonated equipment was discovered littered around the former capital, his guilt was reassured.

For both their crimes, they were executed by slowly lowering their bodies into the River Phlegethon between the borders of our Underworld territories of Gehenna and the Pits of Tartarus still under the occupation of the Hellenic mythos, to be slowly consumed by the river of fire till naught but smoke remained of them. This act also exterminated the remaining members of the Corson Clan.

By the sound of the room, it was safe to assume that it had never been forgotten by any devil present here. The crowd started turning hostile to small white cat in the middle of the floor. Lord Bael knew just how to turn a room to his whims.

"This is a dangerous being we behold in our most gracious of courtrooms.

"Lord Bael, I may interrupt you once again, I must correct you on the name of her species."

"There is no need for correction, Lord Speaker, since as it is clear to see that this demon cat is known as nekomata."

"I'm afraid that I must point out that you are mistaken, Lord Bael. Though there are a species of Youkai in Japan known as nekomata, the accused here is not one of them."

Walking towards the cage, everyone who wasn't in view stood from their seats just to catch a glimpse of Lord Pheles' daring move; reaching his hand inside of the cage. Even if she looked like a small white cat, everyone else was concerned for his safety considering that the charge for Bad Blood had given the impression of this youkai being a "wolf in kitten's clothing".

He then retrieved his hand, but he had also brought something else out to public view.

"As seen by her two forked tails here, the correct terminology for her species is "nekoshou", a far rarer breed. Mono-gendered might I add. Though this is present in the reports upon the accused, I presume the Lord Bael was easily mistaken as he couldn't have possibly have been able to see this small difference from whence he stands."

"Yes, yes. Thank you for you correction, Lord Pheles."

There were a few light snickers within the audience, but I had no idea at the time just how much of this had an impact on the relations between the two opposing factions within our supposedly united devil society.

Though Lord Pheles had made a few early small attempts to get a lot of the charges rectified and corrected as was his job entitlement, it became very clear from an audiences perspective that Lord Bael had already decided her fate and was stubborn in his refusal to allow his opinion to be taken out of consideration.

". . . can it really be called withholding information when such information never existed in the first place? I mean really; if the stick insect should fall unto a sticky bun and die unable to break free, should we cut off the hands of the baker who layered the icing without knowledge that this transpired?

"Lord Pheles, must I remind that it is your job is to bring forth the information made present by our investigators, not act in a manner as the accused's solicitor. Must it be verified that this is a hearing, not an officiated trial?"

"You cannot fault me for wanting to make sure this trial holds all the correct facts now, surely?"

"There is no trial to be had. All the evidence gathered here is enough to send this youkai to the pits of Malebolge let alone have her executed. Must we put off this farce any longer, dear witnesses? Do you believe that this is truly the justice that Lord Egin deserves? Does he not deserve to see his convicted killer walk away freely from this, let alone let all those associated with them be released when they are within the arms of our judicial system?

"My Lord Bael, there has never been evidence to sugg-"

"That is enough! I will no longer be subjected to anymore of this deliberate delay. Judges, I shall instigate the call of-"

Then, the doors to the room opened. Not with a slam, but with a most peculiar of voices.

"I wish to interject, if I am allowed."

The room went silent over a familiar voice. Everyone's faces turned to the most familiar sight of burning crimson hair entering the court room, as every sound and every movement became a frozen memorial of time.

"M-Maou Lucifer, this is most improper of you to interrupt one of our most sacred traditions."

"Tradition? Forgive my rudeness, Lord Bael, but I admit that I lack such perception as to dub something so vulgar like this trial to be simply tradition."

No one spoke up, no matter how they were shocked by Lord Lucifer's statement.

"Though you may be Maou Lucifer, for you to interrupt a trial in session is unfounded and without due cause. There are no objections for you to sit in, but to place judgement yourself is in violation of our most sacred laws, as you are aware, Maou Lucifer."

"As the Maou Lucifer, any and all domestic duties within and outside of the Underworld that concern our people is within my jurisdiction, as it always has been since the old days under Maou Attar long before me. To say that my being here is unbecoming is to deny tradition itself, but I know that is clearly not what you were implying, wasn't it Lord Bael?"

The expression of having walked straight into a trap was all but necessary to cement that Lord Lucifer's statement was the correct one; it was true that the Lord Lucifer's duties were domestic affairs, so having him foreseeing a trial was not out of the blue so to speak.

It would also be wise to remind everyone why there are five judge's seats, and also whose seat Lord Bael currently occupies as well. But I need not say any more about that.

"Though I agree, I have no authority to overturn or contribute judgement, nor do I intend to overrule the judges chosen. I would, however, like to see this trial be done in accordance to the law, if I be permitted to observe."

Lord Bael looked to his four counterparts, who had chosen to remain quite silent throughout the entire trial; Lords Vassago and Focalor gave a small nod in acceptance, which then prompted Lord Amon to follow sooth. Lord Dantalion looked eye-to-eye with Lord Bael, but chose to just accept the role as it was.

"This selection of judges has no objections to allowing the Maou Lucifer to remain in observance to this trial."

"Thank you, Lord Dantalion. Please, continue Lord Pheles."

"Yes, but of course, Maou Lucifer."

It was thanks to Lord Lucifer's intervention that the nekoshou's life had been saved; through a series of counter arguments that Lord Pheles had obviously prepared beforehand. He outlined a great many issues with the charges, such as being unable to aid and abet due to being kept behind a lock door every night, and had been found behind said lock door when arrested without signs of interference to the lock nor to the anti-teleportation trigger inside the entirety of the mansion.

The condemned also gave evidence that she had made no contact with her sister in many months before, and while a testimony was no solid alibi, neither was there any clear evidence that Shirone was withholding information as the news of Lord Egin's demise was a shock to her also.

Overall, with the direct gaze of Maou Lucifer on Lord Bael, it seemed like he became less assertive as he had been previously. With the flawless deconstruction work outlaid by Lord Pheles, it seemed only a matter of time before the whole case was dropped.

There was, however, one charge that could not be overturned no matter how many words were wrapped out it;

"Very well, all charges detailing the accused of aiding the criminal have all have been dropped. There is however, the charge of Bad Blood, which cannot be ignored."

The moment Lord Bael had spoken again, the crowd sudden felt the confliction in their hearts wrap their voices. Calls for innocence or guilt wavered into a mixture of oil and water. It was the scariest the room had ever been, having decided to fight itself with a war of words rather than follow the mood like sheep as was usually expected.

Lord Bael's mood picked up slightly, unlike the other four lords that sat opposite him from all directions. I even looked to my mother and father sitting at either side, but instead their moods seemed to be of amusement, which I didn't quite understand until much later why this was at such a time.

The only ones who were not showing a new expression, were Lord Pheles and Maou Lucifer. They both held their smiles, unwavering and unyielding like this had all been part of a larger plan.

Lord Pheles looked at Maou Lucifer, who nodded in indication, as he raised his hand to garner the attention of the room.

When all noticed and all were silent, Lord Pheles proceeded to speak again.

"My lord and lovely ladies. Yes, the accusation of Bad Blood is one that we can never ignore. It has done us a service to remove rid us of those that may seek to do us harm. That has always been the way in the name of the Four Great Satans and the Blessed Devil Queen Lilith who gave us this blood which runs deep within each and every one of us."

Though it was no secret that Lord Pheles never really got along well with the original Satans, no one could deny the pious nature that all devils felt indebted to our mother of devilkind, and it paid off that he caught the room's attention when he placed his hand over his heart in thanks to her memory.

"We cannot deny that there is a killer instinct flowing in her veins, no more than there is one that flows in the veins of every one of us. I myself have killed a great many people. As have the first Lords of every devil family, their children, their children's children. The only difference is, we turn our killer instinct against our true enemies, not ourselves. It is the angels, both the ascended and the fallen, who we aim our swords to. And, we have killed a great many in five millennia."

The room turned silent again, and even some of the other devils gasped at such a statement. To compare devils with other beings was something unfathomable. It was almost treasonous to say such things, especially to the many lords who were present today.

Even if this was Lord Pheles speaking here, it simply wasn't done. And yet, he did.

"If this Bad Blood is so prevalent and ramped, why must we kill it? Are we trying to forget that we are at war? We have signed peace, but there are still rogue angels and stray devils, and let's not forget about the Olympians, the Aesir, the Takaamahara, and the Deva. And let us also not forget that they too have enemies that would pounce on us if given the chance. Not everyone is willing to share this Underworld with us who once ruled in the Heavens."

Lord Pheles walked back over to the cage and promptly rested his left arm upon it. He was even willing to risk his hand again by reaching into the cage and presumably pet the kitten.

"There is a killer instinct dormant in this nekoshou, as kindly pointed out by Lord Bael among the list of accusations, but why should it be bad. It would be bad if she was our enemy. But why make such a viable killer a weapon to be used against us? With every charge placed against our kind stripped away by our most gracious of judges, why not simply accept that we have another chance of potential recruitment? Peerages are always in need of enlisting."

Lord Pheles words managed to sway the crowds in his favour again.

However, the issue still remained; Kuroka the older sister was also a peerage member, and yet she still killed her master. Any sane devil would be inclined to feel insecure with that kind of knowledge hanging over their heads.

"Council of judges, if you would be so kind, I would like to offer my assistance in resolving this issue."

The room fell to the quiet again, then turned to Maou Lucifer, who stood raising his palm at equal height to his face.

"Since there is doubt to be had that this Shirone will eventually turn on her master as her sister has already proven to have done, I will be sure to take full responsibility for the foreseeable future if this court will allow it."

If the room could gasp any more this day, there would be a vacuum residing here.

"I've stuck my nose too deep here, so I believe it is only fair that should something bad happen it should fall unto me, don't you all agree?"

The room started talking again, but my attention looked between the judges and Maou Lucifer as if there was an invisible duel between the two authorities. As much as I would love to have seen the [Crimson Haired, Blazing Eyed Fury] I had envisioned from the stories in his youth and in all the performances, it would have been an improper display for the Maou Lucifer to exercise barbarity when he had already won with words alone.

Even Lord Bael, who by now had foreseen that he would be outnumbered four to one realised that he couldn't not show any resistance lest face repercussions by directly opposing Maou Lucifer face on in public.

"The judges have spoken; five are in favour of the verdict, and thus judgement has been passed. The nekoshou, Shirone, has been declared not guilty on all charges and shall be placed under the guardianship of Maou Lucifer, to either await reincarnation or to be sent back to either the Shinto or Youkai Factions of Japan. This trial is concluded."

 **The End**

* * *

"So, it has a happy ending then. I suppose that's good."

It was a blunt response I admit, but I required confirmation after she abruptly ended her story at the result and had failed to illustrate what had transpired afterwards, leaving me still relatively in the dark. Her response was justified based on how narrow I had observed the story.

"The killer is still out there you know. I don't see how the death of a Lord and the unknown whereabouts of his killer is a happy ending."

"Your story was about a person who was falsely accused of crimes she couldn't commit being saved from being put to death. If the innocents don't die for something they didn't do, I consider that a happy ending."

"Like in the stories."

"Like in the stories."

"What happened to . . . uh, Shi-Shirone, after the trial I mean."

Ravel shrugged her shoulders and looked unto the front lawn. Though Maou Sirzechs had already long entered the household whilst she recounted her story to me, it seemed like her direction of sight was aimed to where we last saw him.

"As far as I know, she went into Maou Lucifer's care. Whether he chose to have her reincarnated or sent back to Japan, I am unsure. Though I think he more likely gave her to his sister."

"I think that he just wanted a pet."

My was met with unexpected laughter after the words sunk in. I found myself also joining in when I said it; the though of the Maou sitting at his desk with whit cat on his desk made me remind myself of some cliched villain from a spy movie in a revolving chair. the multiple scenarios then built up in out mind of just what kind of pet owner Lord Sirzechs would be only made or enjoyment that more hilarious.

"That is probably the real reason he interfered: " _I would like a pet, but not an ordinary one. I want a pet that might like to kill me one day."_ Something like that?"

"More like: _"Aww isn't that cute? She tried to rip my guts out with her claws. Ooh look at her ears, they're so soft."_ Right?"

We were almost gasping for air by the time we finally settled down. Our cheeks were hurting, but ours smiles persisted. Finally opening my eyes after clenching them too hard, I think I skipped a heartbeat when I saw Ravel's smile. Even though the both of us had been laughing quite hard for a few minutes back and forth, I suddenly lost

Her face was flustered but it was like a light rose tint against her cheeks. Though she had shaken her head quite a bit that it had slightly made a mess of her hair, even allowing a few more ringlets to form and fall over her forehead, I felt the urge to fight against reaching out and entangling a few of those loose strands around my fingers, maybe even fixing it and then moving my hand further down and cuffing her face.

'[That's nothing to joke about you know.]'

Had it not been for Ddraig speaking to me inside my head, I think I could have seriously lost myself to the moment.

"Just because it's you, Ddraig, doesn't mean it has to happen to everyone."

'[I am not commenting on that.]'

"You should because it was your fault we got into that situation."

"Issei?"

Having forgotten about Ravel who was sitting only I front of me whilst i was speaking aloud to Ddraig, she questioned what I had been discussing with him since she could only hear half of the conversation through my words while Ddraig continued to speak to me via our personal telepathic connection to avoid detection from the high-class devils enjoying themselves several floors below our feet.

"Oh, sorry Ravel. I was just talking to Ddraig."

"Can I know what it's about."

As she started leaning in, I happened to accidentally catch sight of the top of his blouse, which she had at some point in the evening opened up despite it being the coldest part of the house. I guessed that it must had been her proximity to the torches on the wall, but since I had started training with the dragons, my own sensitivity to heat had decreased so I barely noticed if that was the case.

It wasn't a problem that she had undone it, but from the way she was leaning in and the positioning of her arms had cushioned her front together in such a manner that it almost resembled to top of her breast that I had to immediately avert my eyes again. I tried to ignore what was happening my forwarding the conversation.

"I-I-It had something to do with an . . an, um, incident a year back."

"Do tell."

Though for some peculiar reason, she had failed to notice this and just continued to advance while I was doing my best to control my inhaling through my nose.

"*sniff* W-w-Well, when I say incident, it was . . . how do I say it? Just s- *sniff* something that was unavoidable."

* * *

 **Life 3 - Dragon Queen**

 **"How Dare You Enter Knowingly Into My Domain, You Spineless Wyvern- No, You Lindwyrm!"**

"What the heck is going on here?!"

 **["Fly! Just Fly, You Fool!"]**

"A Kamisa- ** Fuck!"

Yeah, I forgot about the cons of being a devil; divine backlash. My native Japanese naturally slipped out, and it had the same repercussions as it would if I had spoken it in any other language.

How my day ended up like this; you can thank three people for this; Tannin-ojiisama who thought that I needed to spread my wings out a bit and fly for as long as I possibly can. Bova, who decided that if I couldn't even reach the other side of the Forest of Familiars by sundown, that I would get to do the "landmine challenge" again at level three difficulty.

If you're wondering how bad it could be, imagine the landmines not being something you avoid by just not stepping on them, but to physically dodge them as they come flying towards you from any direction they so choose.

And level three? That just means I have to watch myself while three dragons get to pummel me from all around me, laughing and singing as they attempt to blow me into tiny pieces all over the place.

I'm fourteen now, but I barely survived at level one, and I couldn't even get halfway through level two. I still can't believe I managed to live after getting cornered by two doses of projected plasma.

And the last person I have to thank for this horrid conclusion to the day's events is my partner, Ddraig. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have a fucking Dragon Queen attempt to kill me once I started flying over the forestscape.

Pardon my poor language, but this encounter still gives me nightmares to this day.

The blue blur continued her barrage of attacks against me, while I still learning to fly had to now worry about what may be trying to kill me from behind, above, below, sometimes I didn't even know even these attacks were combining from. I had to thank my devil enhanced hearing and sight, and also for human based perception to danger for staying alive the entire time.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

Tiamat, [Chaos Karma Dragon], the strongest of the Five Dragon Kings, and the one being in the world who just had to have it out for Ddraig. Though he would constantly tell me that his rank of Heavenly Dragon meant he was by all means stronger than she was in his prime, he openly admitted that he had never bested her.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

Instead of flame, she produced balls of volatile scalding hot water that she hurls at much faster speeds than any normal dragon could do the same with fire, not that she couldn't breathe fire either as far as I was aware.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

Not only was she the strongest of the Dragon Kings rank, due to the Heavenly dragons being sealed and the Dragon God, Ophis and True Dragon, Great Red, living off world, she was the most powerful dragon in existence by default. Not only that, but I made the mistake of flying over her current home in the Underworld in the Forest of Familiars.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

Dragons are naturally aggressive to each other, and while it was true that male dragons were the worse when it comes to this rule, I had yet to see a female dragon's rage, and I was now regretting it very much so while I attempted to not force my {boosts} to reset on me.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

 **["{Boost!}"]**

 **["{Boost!}"]**

I must apologise that I am not commenting on my ability to dodge her attacks despite the fact she was constantly attacking me whenever I felt I had the chance to rest. But with the adrenaline of the day and the times where I never wanted to remember what had happened that day, my memory is full of quite a few too many holes when it comes to a person who is not myself.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

But that doesn't matter, when I can say that I was only able to dodge this well because of the mine field challenge that Tannin-ojiisama had set up for me; it's ironic to think that he made up the training on a whim just to give me something to work with, but avoiding all of those fireballs has become a lifesaver for me in this sort of situation I have found myself in.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

If I was going to take down the Dragon Queen who held the entire Sumerian younger gods pantheon inside of her womb when she became impregnated by the [God of the Primeval Sea], Abzu, last of the older gods, then I would need all the power I could possibly muster at this stage in my life. I would need to accumulate every single {boost} I could handle without killing myself.

 **["{Boost!} . . . {Liberation!}"]**

At the sound of the awaited call, I felt my luck had suddenly been won over in my favour as my {Boosted Gear} began to overwhelm itself in rich scarlet light, whilst an emerald flash continued to leak layers of energy over my Sacred Gear.

"Finally!"

I had discovered two months into training that with enough {boosts} to count, I could achieve. After I managed to surpass my previous limit of six, and reached past ten, I was able to unlock and upgrade my Sacred Gear into {Boosted Gear Gift}.

My red gauntlet extended further up my arm until it had encased my elbow, with a second green jewel propping up behind my joint, and six extra golden spike protruded forth making my already sharp metal dragon's claw into a more imposing weapon to be used against my enemies.

I managed to get my second vengeance against Bova for the dragon apple juice incident with a well-placed punch to his exposed gut with this beauty. He was not expecting the [Red Dragon Emperor's Gift] to pack quite the punch on my first attempt to use it. But then again he didn't know about its inept abilities that it granted me either.

And the necessity in reaching this level was this:

 **["{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!}"]**

Unlike in base form, I would be able to hold onto my previous ten {boosts} of power, and successive {boosts} could be attained by my will rather than by the succession of time. Green light continued to flash continuously for as much as I was able to hold onto it, which meant that I would never need to restart at zero even if I should get hit by an opponent.

I wasn't sure of it was enough right now, but at the power of fifteen {boosts}, I was ready to test my strength against the strongest of the Five Dragon Kings. Though I admit that I could never best Tannin in my present state even with {Gift} around my arm, I was feeling the motivation of the moment.

Grabbing hold of my focused power into my left hand, I punched forth as Tiamat came towards me head on.

 **["{Explosion!}"]**

As I turned myself to face Tiamat, with her large sapphire coloured body ready to strike, I let loose all that I had gathered at her in this one strike, hoping it was enough to do the damage I needed to escape from here alive.

The attack hurtled straight towards her, but while my hopes had soared beyond the heavens, a sight of aqua light emerging was enough to ground my desires to the land.

My {Explosion} was swiftly shattered when a ball of boiling superfluid pierced right through like a needle through a ball of yarn, before the steam destroyed my attack completely.

The worst of it came when the ball struck me right into the chest.

"Shit!"

*SPLASH*

I covered myself with my arms, but the damage had already crashed against me and sent me hurtling backwards faster than I could have flown there. I found myself spinning vertically for a while as I nursed my burnt arms and chest, as the redness continued to sting across me, and even a splash of it managed to wipe against my brow and cheeks.

I was lucky I didn't get any in my eyes.

 **["{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!}"]**

 **["{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!}"]**

As I regained composure and tied to retake what I had lost. I knew I needed more, so I continued past the fifteen I had gathered earlier, and tried to grab more before attacking further.

 **["{Boost!} . . . {Burst!}"]**

"No!"

I looked at my left hand in shock.

Twenty. I finally hit twenty and that was my limit. I couldn't go any further according to my {Boosted Gear}, but I knew it wouldn't be enough.

"Come on! I need more! I'm up against a Dragon Queen! Come on, I need to reach more!"

I tried to get to work for me, only to find that I was not getting it.

I hit my limit, and that was all I was supposed to expect from a contraption such as made by Jehovah, who set about certain rules for the use of his artifacts.

I would have cursed his name, but I couldn't afford to sting my concentration at this point.

 **"Take This, Ddraig!"**

Tiamat broke through the steam and shot right at me. I couldn't dodge quickly enough and ended up getting struck across the back by her claws as she swooped downwards at me from above. The sharp pain across my back where four talons had swiped across my skin was very painful at first, but I needed to hang on.

I started to pull myself together and rose higher to avoid her as best as I could, all the while still talking to my Sacred Gear.

"I don't want to give up! I'll take anything, just give me something to work with!"

. . .

. . .

. . .

"Come on, please!"

. . .

. . .

. . .

"Take from me what you need! I'll even give up my life so long as I don't die at her mercy!"

. . .

. . .

. . .

"Come one, you son of a bitc-!"

 **["{Overboost!}"]**

"Huh?"

I felt a vein burst in my eyelid, as a bloodied tear started running down my face. I reached for my eyes as the pain started throbbing so intently that I lost sight for that brief moment.

But I had more power. I found my extra {boost}.

I could go further than my limit, even if it was starting to kill me.

No. I wouldn't let it, but I needed it to. If I can just get high enough to force her away, then I could survive. Otherwise, I would dead either way.

I had a new opportunity, and I needed to take it.

"I don't need a minute, just a few seconds! Hit me with all you can give me! I need to live!"

 **["{Overboost!}"]**

My nose went, as did my second eyelid. I felt my blood leaking and the pain starting to get to me, but the power I was reaching was getting stronger also.

As Tiamat continued to re-ascend after her brief moment of daze, I didn't look, I just continued to push my Scared Gear with everything I had.

 **["{Overboost!}"]**

"Fuck!"

My left wing went into red, which briefly caused me to lose altitude, but I resurged it with enough energy to nullify most of the pain. I continued flying and willing my {Boosted Gear} to push me further. I did not just spend all these months training to get stronger to die here in the middle of flying practise.

 **["You'll kill yourself, Partner! You've already hit twenty-three, a commendable achievement for someone as initially weak as you!"]**

 **["{Overboost!}"]**

My right leg starting growing cold as my skin started breaking and stained my cuffs. Drops fell from my shoes and down to the earth below until they were lost from sights.

I think I only further angered the Dragon Queen below when a couple of drops splattered her in her face. Her roar of fury echoed across the heavenly plains while I tried to climb beyond the clouds and further prepare myself.

 **["If we dive now, we may be able live, I can assure you!"]**

 **["{Overboost!}"]**

My chest suddenly went and I suddenly got caught from breathing. Though Ddraig had done his part in trying to persuade me to stop, I had ignored him and pushed through the wall until it came back and hit me.

I felt so much stiffening in my body I felt that I was undergoing rigor mortis. I was stuck like stone in the sky, and suddenly my flight path was stopped also. Weight suddenly gathered over my body and started plummeting quicker than I had been climbing.

I felt Sparky in my chest vibrating and fidgeting like an unkempt child as the sheer overwhelming energy I had gathered together started to swell throughout my body. First my left arm felt hot, and then it spread like a virus through my body.

I saw my {Boosted Gear Gift} suddenly shrink back, and I was certain I has losing my energy as the strain of it left my body. I felt down. I felt I had failed. Until I heard a voice break the misery and then the light entrapped me before I could react.

 **["{Welsh Dragon: Balance Breaker!}"]**

*Shon*

Out from my back, I suddenly stopped falling when my large dragon wings suddenly sprouted forth from the armour I was safely inside. My fall was caught like a parachute being unfurled and air resistance broke my falling speed as quickly as I had gained it. I was still falling, but I had drastically slowed down.

"I feel so powerful. What is this?"

As I observed the new metal piece I had sudden obtained around me, all twenty five of my {boosts} suddenly didn't give me so much pain as they once did. I felt comfortable moving around now, like I had naturally become accustomed to it. All the pained had become null also, and my movements felt so much more free then they once had.

I looked to my hands, and saw they matched; both wearing the same red clawed gauntlets that resembled my {Boosted Gear}, but I also saw three clawed boots covering my feet also. I followed along my body and noticed the whole thing was red and draconic. I even found a tail appendage that sprouted from the centre of my back that I could will to move how I wished like it had been plugged into my spine.

Ddraig replied to me, in the most prideful voice he had ever mustered since the day were first spoke to each other, as he proudly introduced the new red armour I was donning.

 **["This is the pinnacle of the power bestowed upon humanity by the God of the Bible. When great strength is needed in the most desperate times, and the wilful soul refuses to bow in the face of death, the balance of the world shall be broken, and in its place comes a miracle that defies the natural laws of the universe is awakened. This is the Balance Breaker: {Boosted Gear - Scale Mail!}"]**

At the sound of his call, ever light in the armour flashed a brilliant green that shock the sky like a green sun had emerged from the clouds.

"Scale Mail?"

I amused myself with the name, noting how every easy it was to move around despite being quite heavy looking. The dragon themed suit looked intimidating from my first person perspective, so it only got me further excited when I thought about how imposing it looked from a third person view.

"I have broken the balance, but I suspect this isn't your first seeing such an event?"

 **["I have lived many a lives, and this is not the first I have seen this miracle occur! But, Partner, you know that I now have high expectations for you, so you cannot let me down now that we have come so far!"]**

"Any advice then for our current predicament then?"

 **["{Boost} till you have no more stamina, this is the power granted to you for as long as you can withstand the pressure you place upon yourself! Take this power, and destroy the enemy in front of you, Partner!"]**

"I'm hitting at about twenty-five right now, so I hope you know what you're doing."

 **["{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} . . . {Burst!}"]**

As the blue dragon shot faster and faster towards her sitting duck target, I blasted the repetitive sound of my Sacred Gear's call till I could do it no more. Fourty-five was my new limit with this scale mail protecting me and enhancing my strength.

Though I had proven I could push past my natural limit, as I had done to receive such a gift

"No. Let's see what else I could do!"

Instead of punching the ball as I usually had in order to enact {Explosion}, I now had two gauntlets and plenty of metal to shield me from backfires, so I was feeling pretty daring at this point and willing to further test myself.

I held the ball from below in my left hand, and then I used my right hand to cover over it from above. I then started transferring my {boosts} into this tiny ball till it expanded into my palm space.

As the blue blur continued to rocket at my vicinity, I prepared myself. I was ready for what I had been hoping for.

Bracing my stance, and mirroring what Goku had been famous for starting, I brought both hands to my right hip and stared feeding more energy to the small ball till I was literally having to force it back with all the strength in my arms. The crimson glow penetrated the space between my two hands and in-between my fingers were it could escape.

The shaking in my hands as the ball of energy started fighting back against my muscles was becoming quite unbearable and I wanted to let go lest let it overpower me, but I couldn't.

I had only single chance for this to even remotely work, but at the current distance between me and the Dragon Queen, I would surely miss. I needed her to come in closer.

'Closer.'

I bit on my tongue, under the strain to force myself to hang on.

'Closer.'

Not yet. She was not close enough.

'Closer.'

A little more. I started biting down my teeth now. I nearly had her.

'Clo-ser!'

 **"I'll Get You Now! You'll Finally Pay For Your Insolence, Ddraig!"**

 **["Now, Partner! Hit her with all you've got! Shoot her out of the sky!"]**

"Don't need to tell me that! . . . Kame . . . hame . . . HAAAAAAAAAA!"

 **["{Smasher!}"]**

Unlike my usual bursts of energy with {Dragon Shot}, this new {Smasher} was an eruption, an explosion that was without end, and I fired it off against the enemy flying towards me. Though she attempted to sweep left and avoid the attack, her range had decreased too suddenly to prevent her from easily maneuvering away from safety, as her right front leg and the inside her wing got literally smashed by the beam I was protruding from my side.

The force of the attack was not accurate enough to push her back far enough that she would think twice before trying attack me head on. However, the injury inflicted on her wind was enough that it knocked her from the sky, as she stared falling and unable to regain altitude with her smoking wing trailing her descent down into the thick of forest below.

I breathed a moment of silence, as the energy finally stopped and the beam ceased from existence. I gave a sigh, until I coughed up a little blood.

 **["{Reset}"]**

And then, I lost my armour, shattering into a million pieces of red solid glass before becoming sand an eventually nothing, till I had nothing left, except the sudden feeling of falling.

 **To Be Continued**

* * *

"And you crashed!"

Having had to stop as I re-imagined my fall that day, Ravel clearly summarised was I was trying to describe without making it so . . . degrading in words.

I scratched the back of my head and I nervously pulled a grin that said that it was exactly as it happened, but I want't exactly too pleased that the story of how I achieved Balance Breaker effectively ended with me tumbling down from the sky when I lost all my energy.

"Yeah. I couldn't hold onto my Balance Breaker for too long since it was my first ever attempt. I probably shouldn't have tried to do so whilst I was flying."

She then caught me off guard when she held onto my left hand with both of hers. The sudden grasp of her touch was enough to send a dose of euphoria up my arm. The feel of her delicate fingers running across my palm briefly before encasing them and locking my hand into her hold. I felt hot again, as if her body heat was travelling from her into my own, gathering into my face as it did.

The close proximity intoxicated me with the scent of her hair. It only became much worse when she spoke words of admiring praise to me while bringing my hand over to her heart, and to the soft feel of her cushioning chest between the two. It was enough to make my nerves run overtime through my brain.

"But, to have still utilized Balance Breaker is a commendable achievement. There are many Sacred Gear users who go through life who never once activate their artifacts, let alone push it to the point that they literally push through the natural limits of power. Not to mention, it's a Longinus Balance Breaker. There are only thirteen that have the potential to reach that sort of level that it can kill gods with relative ease, and you possess one of them."

As I tried again to avert my eyes, something that was eroding away on my moral conscience every single times these moments started to happen in such frequency, I tried to distract my thoughts by looking through the window. It had gotten colder, so the window had fogged up with condensation, which forced me to wipe the window with my free right hand while also trying to hide the redness in my face from Ravel while she still held unto my left hand.

As I cleared my vision, I looked back to the grounds to see who else maybe entering the party, when I caught sight of someone I never seen before;

"Ravel. I don't know that guy. Do you?"

Ravel promptly let go of my hand, which I am thankful for since I started feeling a need to- . . . never mind!

As my direction with my right hand, I pointed out of the window to a youth whom I had never seen before. He looked to be in his late teens, with black hair that formed into a . His eyes were a shade of purple unfamiliar to me, that were shockingly brilliant even through his thick furry sideburns that encroached the sides of his face. Unlike most devils, he was unmistakably muscled, and it was the heavier kind you would expect from a bodybuilder and not from a noble devil.

"Sairaorg Bael."

"Sairaorg? I've never heard of him."

My face screwed at the sound of his name due to him being an unknown enigma to me. I had been taught the names and features of the remaining noble devils and their families, and suddenly I was being undertowed by this new revelation.

"That's because he only became the heir recently."

"I though Magdaran Bael was the heir of the clan."

That was what I had learned; Magdaran was the name of the Bael heir as I was aware. And to hear that this was no longer the case was a shock to me.

"There was a duel for heirship between the two of them, and Sairaorg won."

"He must be really strong. But, it sounds like you didn't enjoy it? I would have liked to see a strong match between two wielders of {Power of Destruction} go all out against each other."

I was of course ignorant at the time that Sairaorg did not possess the hereditary ability of his clan, which was the sole reason that he had been disinherited to begin with. What I was also ignorant of was that this fight had a lot more at stake than just the inheritance of a single clan, as Ravel would yet explain to me. Her gaze continued to stare out of the window and towards the night sky where our moon was at it's fullest tonight, illuminating the world below with it's blueish light.

I don't need to tell you why it's not a silvery light.

"Strangely, had it not been at such high stakes, I probably would have enjoyed it watching it. It looked like . . . it was meant to be enjoyed."

* * *

 **Life 4 - Sweetest Honey, Strongest Lion**

It was the nineteenth day of the fifth month and I, Ravel Phenex, was witnessing history and I wasn't aware of it at the time.

The public spectacle had been arranged by the Bael clan, who had hoped that it would send a message that the weak would remain weak, and their strong will always stand on top. At least, that's how Zemele had worded it.

It wasn't just myself and my parent's who had made attendance today, all three of my brothers, and even members of extinct clans like my older brother's wife were present. Many devils of human origin or half descent, and even those with only very little devil ancestry were here today.

This was more than just a fight between brothers. This was the between the sons of Keyargar Bael, and the potential 6th [King of Bael].

Standing to the right of the stadium visible through the projection screen, cracking away with his fists in any direction possible, Sairaorg, son of the first wife, Lady Misla of the [Dukes of Vapula]. He had the purple eyes most prominently of the Bael clan, in their regal shade of Tyrian purple that all descendants had, and also the rich coal black tone in his hair that none could deny meant he belonged to the Bael clan. He was eighteen years old at the time, but even for his age he looked very tall and imposing, as well as very well built.

He wore very shoddy looking clothes though unfortunately, which many attributed either to the negligence that he and his mother received from Lord Bael after being disinherited and partially exiled, but the Old King's like to say that it was a reflection on his person, how unrefined and crude he was compared to the previous [Kings of Bael].

I chose to believe the former after hearing some of the elderly kings speak in a manner such as that.

There on the left, as his opponent and junior by a single year, Magdaran, son of the second wife and former acknowledged concubine, Lady Lacryne of the [Princes of Stolas]. The only reason his mother had been made the second wife had been due to circumstances following Magdaran's birth, but the reasons why were largely ignored by the public. Unlike his brother, Magdaran did have the Bael purple eyes, but his hair was not the right shade of black that many would have liked, instead having grown into a mix of Bael black and Stolas purple into a very dark shade of violet, with the exception of several noticeable gatherings of white hair, most notable right in the middle of the bangs covering his forehead. He probably got those from the new stresses Lord Bael put on him after making him heir, or at least I assumed.

It wasn't much of a problem since he had inherited the {Power of Destruction} from his father, but usually this kind of drastic mutation in his genes would have been scorned especially by the Old King's who viewed the sight of heterochromia tricha as akin to mutts. Unfortunately, this was a view that was shared by even a few of the heads in the New Maou Faction.

He was dressed in the more formal gowns passed down by the heirs of the Bael clan; a full body suit of black and silver, draped with a rope of black, gold and purple that hung his back and both of his arms, but left his front completely exposed.

Unlike his elder half-brother, Magdaran did not look prepared for this fight. In fact he looked slightly terrified based on how loose his stance was in comparison. I had heard that he preferred to watch the cultivation of rare flowers rather than fight, which was a trait inherited from his mother's family and the arborkinetic abilities strongly tied to the [Princes of Stolas]. Though, this was heavily criticized by many in the Old King's Faction, including Zekram, 1st [King of Bael] and leader of the faction.

Though it looked like Sairaorg looked more pumped for this showdown between the two siblings, his odds of winning were set at 500/1 based on what statistics were provided of him, whereas his brother was looking at 1/7 which was measured on the destructive abilities of his clan ability and the proficiency he could wield it.

Though it was disheartening to see such harsh odds, it was to be expected over a society who favour the use of magic over brute force.

On a less serious note, Riser had decided to put his money on Sairaorg on a simple whim or so he said, though he looked to be trying to win some more money should the fates be in his favour.

"I can't believe you actually fell in to the crowd and put money on this match."

Of course my brother Rayzem would protest to his actions, citing how ridiculous it was to be gambling when this duel was about more than entertainment. The very future of the Underworld and what direction it would turn literally preceded with the outcome of this bout.

Though since we were all in our separate booths observing the fight, which was taking place within the same pocket dimensions purposely created to host many of the Rating Games of the modern era, I am still puzzled where he was making his bets from.

Riser, who had at this point stopped trying to create his own style of haircut, and had opted for a more reasonable one that fell down the sides up to his jawline with the exception of a few thick cowlicks at the front that looked to be mirroring Ruval's "crown", brushed away the hair from his right side before considering answering.

"There's no law prohibiting gambling, especially when we're here to watch a spectacle here today."

"But to bet 2 PtØ on this match is ludicrous."

"That just means I'll get 1,000 PtØ when I win doesn't it."

In the end, Rayzem couldn't win, so just turned his head back to the match while adjusting Ramarh's position on his lap.

"You're incorrigible."

For clarification; Ø is the symbol for our currency unit "Ohrre", which is unconventional when you consider that all of currency is based on the trading of precious metals as coinage. Pt is the chemical symbol for Platinum, and the amount of Ø is based on the measurement of its weight in kilograms, so to bet 2 PtØ is equal to 2kgs of pure platinum being used as betting funds. Even down here in the Underworld where precious metals were more in abundance, it was a lot of monetary worth alone. But it was still not as much as 1 RdØ, with Rd being Rhodium, the most precious of all precious metals.

Though due to the current mining schemes in place, the monetary value of each metal varied daily, so it usually becomes very difficult to calculate the exact amount every day, which was why the lowest three were set at 1 OsØ = 35 ReØ, and 1 ReØ = 65 RuØ.

Of course, none of these names for metals are the same as in our native language, but the chemical symbols alone are more recognisable as abbreviations.

Confusing I know, but for the low-class devils, it meant that they didn't have to worry about watching prices every single week to know whether they had enough for a feast or for a single roll. And the additional controlled mining of the lowest three precious metals also helped to sustain this figure thanks to the reforms made by the New Maou's Mining and Refining Laws and the Act of Currency which both helped to stabilise and bring about this more accepted outcome.

["My sincere welcome to all noble devils, both of the old blood and of the new. I, Zekram, First of the House of the Great Kings of Bael, will stand in judgment over this most memorable of matches on this day!"]

The sound of the 1st [King of Bael] speaking through the receivers signaled the beginning of the match. I myself felt almost nostalgic, though never had I heard his voice before that day, nor did I see him for quite some time afterwards. Having grown up with his tales of his days when the Zophasemin ruled as a pantheon, and he was the chief enforcer under the Lord Hadad.

Our family settled more comfortably in our seats, with the twin seated on an adults lap since they were prone to constantly fidget if they were given their own seat even though both were seven years old now. Ramarh was on his father's lap, while Riana was sitting on my father's. Out of the two, there was a reason that Ramarh was being kept close to my older brother seeing as my parents were prone to spoiling them a little more than they should.

["The field of our creation has but the boundaries of the stadium walls. There are no time restrictions, but both parties will forfeit should neither be able to continue. The first person to knock their opponent out or to render them unable to continue will emerge as the victor. Resignation is allowed. Killing the opponent is discouraged, but is understood to be unavoidable."]

I felt rather shocked when the last of the rules was announced to the spectators and the combatants. The fact that the 1st [King of Bael] had openly admitted that killing was inevitable, but did not necessarily say it was illegal or worthy of disqualification showed just whose side he truly favoured, despite his obligations to be impartial to either side as far as family matters and referee terms of neutrality was concerned.

["The right to future succession of the Bael clan is to be decided between the two sons of the current [King of Bael]; to the north end, the current holder and defending heir, Magdaran Bael! To the south end, the former holder and challenger, Sairaorg Bael!"]

Had this been in the Agreas Dome, I could have imagined just how the stadium would have applauded; most would have clapped louder for Magdaran than for Sairaorg, with the majority siding with the status quo rather than the unknown entity that was attempting to upturn a previously made decision.

The only person I could guarantee would be supporting Sairaorg would be Riser, but for his own selfish reasons of course.

But as we were isolated in our own viewing boxes, I would never truly know how it was, nor could I know how every other family reacted to the sight of the victors left standing at the end.

["In the name of the Four Great Satans, Lucifer, Leviathan, Beelzebub and Asmodeus, and to the mother of all devils, Lilith. We bear witness and we obey the outcome of this duel!"]

"""""""We bear witness and we obey the outcome of this duel!"""""""

""-this duel!""

After the twins finally caught up with the pledge of witnesses, it was time to start.

["Combatants: Prepare yourselves, and fight!"]

As the sound of the siren ringing throughout the surround systems, it was Magdaran who had the first move, as his right hand instantly filled up with red magic that encased an unforgiving blackness that one would only question was intangible with death itself. The Bael clan's {Power of Destruction}.

This was the first time I had ever laid eyes upon it, and it was nothing like it had been drawn in the illustrations I had seen in a few of the older books relating to Zekram Bael's battles during the old world; the red was not the light colour I had expected to see, like it had been cut from a ruby, while the black supposed to be a liquid-like one as if someone would find from light reflecting off of crude oil.

No. Looking at the dark scabby colour of the red that reminded me of wounds that had clotted and were no longer bleeding, and the black as previously described was not one that would expect a glossy sort of colour, but rather one that just sucked all the colours from the room until there was nothing but a greyscale gloom in the room.

It was not a majestic as it was depicted. It was ghastly to witness. It was the true weapon of a harbinger of death and destruction.

Magdaran held it in his palm a while, but he didn't look like he enjoyed holding such power within his grasp. He looked quite disgusted with it, but his expression reflected more fear than hate towards it, but none the less he allowed it free reign against his brother.

Sairaorg did nothing but stand there as the fury of red and black came in his direction. He moved not an inch nor a muscle, except for the ones in his face that pulled into a powerful grin.

He didn't sidestep, nor did he duck. He refused to even turn his back and run from the attack, but took it head on. The hereditary spell that once brought angles to their knees in defeat and monsters to the ground without their bodies, and Sairaorg did nothing but stand and brace for the attack.

Nothing but a smile. And a small movement of his right arm.

That was when we noticed the golden glow encased on his right hand, as he brought it to the red-black chaos, and punched a hole straight through the attack.

Though his brother was still a much considerable weaker user of the hereditary ability of the Bael clan, for Sairaorg to literally break the spell by punching a whole in it suddenly shattered the idea that the magic was unbeatable. The {Power of Destruction}, which sliced the sea dragon Lotan in half over five thousand years ago, was smashed and destroyed before it could even land.

Riana's eye instead lit up seeing the older devil suddenly engulfed in a bright hueing light all over his entire being. If I was perfectly honest, I think Issei would have drooled over seeing someone being able to perfect a technique that mirrored his . . . "super sayin-" no wait, "super saiyan" power-ups that he grew up watching as human.

He also wouldn't have forgiven me for making such a rookie mistake on its name after he went into such lengths explaining how much he liked the show when he was still human.

"Oh! He's on fire!"

The whole family excluding her twin brother and I laughed at her expression of disbelief. It was my father who was the first to correct her on her easily mistakable assumption of what the elder Bael was attempting to unleash.

"My sweet granddaughter. It is not fire that is surrounding young Sairaorg."

Riana was not convinced however.

"Hmm? But it's moving like fire, and it's yellowish like fire, so why is it not fire?"

With that kind of logic, my father had a tough time trying to counter her argument, but there was no easy way to win with a child's limited logic that seems to be hard to disprove nor disclaim.

"Touki!"

Rayzem however knew how to handle his two offspring much easier than either one of our parents or brothers could. It preferred the blunt approach, since his two children would inevitably argue the logic unless they were given another entirely new option opened and introduced to them.

However, this only defused one probable and sparked a new one.

"Tocky?"

"Papa said Tokey, Nana."

"He did not, Rara."

"Did too."

"Did not!"

While the twins continued to argue over the pronunciation of a single word, the rest of the family, save for my elder brother and his wife trying to quell the children's conflict, the rest of us returned to watching Sairaorg build up his Touki.

Mgadaran in a panic attempted to launch several weaker spells from his palms in an attempt to scare, maybe even defuse his elder brother's build-up of strength, only to see his multiplicity gamble be thwarted and effortlessly rebound off of the gold coloured arura that was slowly gathering.

To see this you needed to not have eye lids because a blink and you would have missed the sudden evaporation of Sairaorg from his side of the field, and his reapparition right in front of his brother, still glowing gold, but that was the end of the match once the sudden gust of wind finally settled and the dust was dropped from the air.

A slam in the stomach, and the second son of the Bael clan had lost all consciousness. It was so quick and so unexpected that the moment was frozen for a good five second before the end result became clear for all who bore witness to see.

With the seconds counted out, Magdaran's face fell first, followed by his head which sank forward with his arms and legs becoming limp also until his entire body seemed to be resting on his half-brother's right hand. The elder brothers slowly pulled it away, showing how much wind had been knocked out of his opponent by how his body sank and spread in a line as he stepped back and retrieved his arm.

He never let him hit the ground though, instead opting to lower him slowly like he was lowering him to bed. The younger brother, who was exhausted by fatigue and by a serious injury to his stomach was removed from the field by a teleportation circle quickly after.

["Magdaran Bael has been resigned. The winner is Sairaorg Bael, and thus this concludes the match!"]

Instead of cheers or booing, there was just the quiet of the arena. No one spoke nor did they make their breathing audible. The sight of the supposedly weak Sairaorg not only completely evade the supposedly indestructible {Power of Destruction}

"The strong survive and the weak must lay under foot! That is the way it has always been from the beginning of our race. Had it not been for Majoou Lilith, we all would have died before our race had even began."

He suddenly spoke to the ears of all the noble devils of the Underworld. No one had teleported him from the arena, and so he just stood there and spoke for the entire Underworld to hear him.

"But the original Maou were not the strong. They were the weak, as were the first devils. Against the might of Jehovah and his angels, we were the weak and they were the strong. But, then we got stronger. Not because it was indebted to us, but because they were willingly to put their lives on the line to attain the strength necessary to overcome the strong who oppressed them. They were the weak, but they became the devils. They became the strong. But, I have looked around and it seems that this fact has been forgotten by many of you hear;

Kings, Princes, Dukes, Marquees, Counts, Earls, Barons, Knights. Had this been three hundred years ago, I would have included Maou in that order, but that is no longer the case. The successors of the Old Maou were no longer the strong, and yet they continued to flaunt their influence by keeping us in a war that would have ultimately killed us. Our new Maou proved that they were no longer the strong, and thus they could not lead us. But even their ascension has not stopped the others from ranking themselves by title rather than true strength. Strength must be earned not inherited. Power must be learned not indebted. There must be a change, and it must happen soon.

There is only one solution then; the weak must become the strong, and the strong must prove they have the right to remain strong. Those who do not earn their strength should not flaunt it for their benefits. Only those who work for their strength deserve to wield it. They know what the price it asks for. They know how the weak struggle under their oppressors.

I am right here. I was the weak, but I have become the strong. The weak can become the strong. The strong can no longer sit idly by content with their positions. If they cannot pull their weight, they must work hard to earn it, or step aside and let those better suited rise underfoot and take their place!"

I don't remember quite what happened next after his declaration; it was an eruption, both of praise and of fear from everyone who was present, but I could not make such an accurate decision on my own feelings towards the matter at hand;

Though his words meant well judging from where he was coming from, what he was suggesting was a dismantling and re-establishing of the entire

It was a promise that one day, the weak shall rule over the strong; those who were not born with clan abilities, those who were looked down upon for being of lower nobility, and those who were not considered true devils due to human heritage.

For many who would become witnesses to this historic moment in devil history, it was a symbol of hope.

 **The End**

* * *

"After he made such a statement, we knew that this was not going to be good for either faction. It was not that he wasn't wring for voicing his opinion to the public, but . . . he didn't seem to take in what the consequences of such actions would have led to."

It was true what she was saying; though the public recognition that the role of heir had been transferred back to Sairaorg, who had been considered an embarrassment to the Bael Clan due to his impotence in magic, and more specifically his inability to use the hereditary {Power of Destruction}, it all had the opposite effect. Sairaorg's demonstration and declaration had actually been a bad result for the New Maou Faction.

As the successor to the Bael Clan, who were heading the Old King's Faction, Sairaorg's words were deciphered as the future prospects of their faction, and thus while his views were contradictory to the ideals that his fore bearer and family's current allies persisted, it drew in the old houses that had gone extinct or were on the verge to, with many young devils already beginning to show interest in allying with the new Bael heir.

At the age of twenty now, Sairaorg had already recruited the likes of Kuisha Abaddon as his Queen, Beruka Furcas as his Knight, and Gandoma Balam as his Rook, all pure-blooded, and was now even looking to offer his membership to devils who were part of the new allying extinct clans; Bune, Crocell, Botis, Sabnock, Vepar, Raim, and Marchosias. All of them had started being drawn to this new prospect that they may get their chance under Sairaorg's ambition.

Thinking about the idea of gaining pieces reminded me of the day that Ravel acquired hers. Though I was not there for the ceremony in front of the public of devils which would have been impossible to hide Ddraig among the many new and more powerful eyes who would have instantly been drawn to the sudden inclusion of a dragosn aura that was still at this point irremovable or even cover-upable.

The pieces exchange had actually also occurred on the day of Ravel's acquisition of her own Evil Pieces, and I returned back to the household for the single day for the very purpose being transferred over. I remember the ceremony being a lot quieter and more private than my initial reincarnation process, with only Ravel, Lady Phenex and I present for it.

A simple circle had been drawn on the floor in magic and the eight evil pieces that Ravel had been gifted upon her ascension to traditional adulthood were placed at her end, whilst I stood opposite in front of Lady Phenex as the two of them inserted their magic into the circle. Ravel started glowing with the orange of the Phenex clan as did her eight Pawns lying in front of her, while from behind, Lady Phenex started glowing in Andrealphus blue, which then resonated into me and my eight Pawns inside my chest.

Sparky and his electric current were visible like an x-ray, as were the seven candle flames of the remaining pieces, though I think a few of them started making sparks rather than flickers, but it could have been the angle I was looking.

I remember the distinct feeling when Ravel's piece started changing from orange to blue, and then vice versa occurred for me as the aura of Lady Rozalva changed and became Ravel's. The calm soothingness of the blue eventually faded out and replaced itself with a more vibrant, stronger flame inside my chest as it was swallowed in the orange. After the minute had been over, the colours faded out and from that point on, I was officially Ravel's Pawn. I will never forge-

"So you crashed?

"What?"

Having been brought from my thoughts abruptly, I was suddenly brought back to our earlier conversation when I had accidentally diverted my story unto the issue of the new Bael clan heir after asking about it to Ravel. She on the other hand had not gotten preoccupied with other talks and attempted to resume our previous discussion.

"You said that you crashed. What happened after that?"

But . . . I did not want to move on any further with my story past that point which only made it awkward when Ravel persisted me to do just that. If she wanted to, she could order me as her King, but Ravel never truly wanted an absolute master and servant relationship between us, which i should consider myself lucky to have from her.

"Oh, that. Well, a lot of stuff happened. I mean, it's not really that important what happened afterwards."

"No please. I would really like to know."

I could never argue with her when she pulled her wide eyes on me. Especially not now when she is also propping up her b-

". . . eh, . . . oh alright. I-If you insist: *gulp*"

* * *

 **Life 5 - Forest of Familiars**

*THRASH*DON*DON*SCRAAAAAAAPPP*SPLASH*

I landed head first into a tree, and down it came with a cry of "timber", had there been anyone around to see such a thing. Then, as I felt the drag force throw me through the thick and shrubbery, I finally landed in the water and my fall came to an end.

The first thing I did of course was swim to the surface, because indeed while I had been falling, I had yet to deactivate my {Boosted Gear} whilst I was plummeting, so when it finally woke up, I did get at least one or two boosts of energy before I collided with ground level.

 **["{Reset!}"]**

I was lucky enough to have clawed my way to shore so to speak before my Sacred Gear decided to cancel out on me. I should have to thank Ddraig sometime, since he would have better control of these kind of functions than I had.

I kept myself anchored before passing out by digging in my claws on my left hand into the ground. There was no current in this small lake, but why take chances.

. . .

. . .

. . .

 **["{Boost!}"]**

I awoke as the surge of energy brought me back to the world of the living . . .

. . . In the Underworld I know, pardon my pun.

"Arhch-ch-ch-ch."

I first dragged my legs out of the water, having left them to wrinkle for ten seconds in the lake before I had the strength to pull my entire body out. After my {Boosted Gear} naturally deactivated, having reached its limits for a while, the first thing I noticed was not that I was wet or filthy from brushing against the mud at the waterbed. No, I was covered in salt.

I started to feel quite stiff in the places that had begun to dry, and then I felt uncomfortable moving my facial muscles, which prompted me to touch my face, I which a thin layer of white salt deposit had fallen from my forehead.

The biggest shock was not that I was now head to toe in salt after drying myself, which meant I now was covered with a whitish hue even on my skin, but that there shouldn't be anywhere you could get saltwater in the Underworld. Especially not in the Forest of Familiars which was off limits from any interference or excavation, so dumping salt into a lake was an impossibility also.

I leaned back down into the water and took a sample upon my ringer, which I tasted on my tongue. It wasn't a familiar taste, but I was certain that this was seawater, which only expanded the mystery of this lake's occurrence;

Naturally the Underworld was all one big landmass since the ocean did not exist this far below ground. The only reason for lakes and rivers forming occurred from the naturally aquifer waterfalls that poured through the rocks from the surface and down from high up.

Naturally, most of it formed clouds that covered the upper quarter of the space in this realm due to the higher temperatures down here, and that in turn forms the heated onsens that the overworld enjoys. But again, none of this explained why there was a seawater lake that had no such fall or any other sort of visible water source feeding into it.

It was also very cold in comparison to most lakes I had been in, which was now completely flipping over my head.

"Well, I can't keep investigating this. I need to-"

I was stopped from words when the lake started bubbling. It wasn't that it was being heated like a hot tub, but there was a small area that starting to release bubbles.

"What under eart-"

*SPLOSH*

A large column of water erupted from the lake, and then a shadow blocked the artificial sun from my vision. Looking up, I saw a giant fish leaping over my head. Due to the lighting, it was hard to tell how big it was till it started falling closer.

"Waaah!"

After a girlish shrill entered my eardrums, I suddenly found myself unable to move from my spot. So, I was unable to avoid the imminent collision.

""Umpf!""

I landed right on my back, and I was not expecting what had suddenly fell on top of me;

Instead of grey fish scales, what landed on me was flesh. Light peach coloured flesh that could only belong to a human or a demi-human species. Locks of untidy sea green hair were in sight, . . .

*Boing*

And I had the chest of a woman currently rubbing my face. With my hands currently trapped, I had no chance of stopping my nose from bleeding.

I really wish that this hadn't happened at such a time.

Deep pinkish eyes suddenly came into view, like pearls being released from two clams. The woman started shifting herself off of men, but didn't seem to notice me.

I heard something slap the ground in front of me, and I was unmistakable in my observation.

'Fish tail?'

Yes, I was looking to her lower half, and instead of legs it was a fish's tail. She was most definitely a mermaid. Though I found it odd since mermaids were usually depicted to be the other way round, but this was clearly not the case with this one. Almost like it was matching her eyes, it too was a shade of pink, but had a much stronger salmon pink colour.

"Ouch-ch-ch. I need to look where I'm going."

The mermaid rubbed her head with her webbed hands. It was only when she was sitting upright did she realise that she was on top of someone. Someone being me, bloodied in the face for reason I do not need to remind you.

"Oh dear. I am so sorry, sir. Are you alright?"

I was lucky she was the naive kind of person, and that I was already looking in pretty bad shape before I had her fall on top of me. Any normal girl would have beaten me even more bloodily after realising that she had been rubbing her . . . assets in my face.

"Don't worry about it. You are the first person who tried to kill me today."

"Someone is- . . . wait? You understand me?"

I looked at her in confusion to her question.

"Hmm. Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

It was stupid thinking back at it now, but my Evil Pieces were automatically translating at a rate I couldn't comprehend after finally settling in. This mermaid was probably speaking a foreign language and I wouldn't even notice after becoming so accustomed to this new hearing of mine.

I didn't necessarily need to explain that to her however, as the thought of being able to communicate with someone made her really happy.

"I never expected anyone to know Adunaic. This is great!"

I had no idea what this Adunaic was, but I was more shocked to hear that there were others who could speak it. Actually, I was more shocked that my Evil Pieces were allowing me to speak a language I had no knowledge of. I doubted anyone else in the Underworld knew what this language was either.

Having gotten herself off of me, I noticed that she was not naked as I presumed; I do not know where she could have gotten this kind of clothing since it was clearly a bikini top or something of that form of shape. If I looked down far enough, she was also wearing a swim-skirt over her lower half, which made me question whether it was necessary for her to cover herself like that.

Wait, I shouldn't have been asking that.

But I had to ask her the obvious question.

"Why were you leaping out of the water like that?"

It was a simple question to ask, and I was also curious as to where she came from; I didn't think the water was that deep that she could have gotten here by natural mean. Plus, if she knew where this water came from, then it would have satisfied my early curiosity.

The expression from her face changed from the concerned expression she was showing towards my wounds to one that reflected a distaste for what she had been previously exposed to.

"There was a scary person, with a very large ugly face; jagged teeth, bulbing eyes and an antenna hanging over his forehead."

So she was running from someone. Well, that at least was plausible enough for her to have acted rashly as she had by springing free from the lake.

For some reason, the first person who came to mind with that description was Gragg Forneus, but I found it hard to believe that he was that obsessed with a mermaid that he would chase her underwater with a harpoon.

I was wrong through. He was. He even wore an eye-patch and had a hook from what she told me, so he had really gotten into his role.

I feared for the future of his clan with his kind of behaviour, not that he had a decent personality to begin with from I knew of him from personal observations.

"I was swimming as far away from him as I could get, but he continued after me even after I dived deep underwater. I remember that I was hiding in one of the underwater caves, and then I followed the tides that lead into Mariana Trench."

Though I knew little about the oceans, I was aware that the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean was called by that name. I think that it was deeper below sea level than Mount Everest was higher above sea level. All these measurements just went over head though since geography was never a particular interest of mine, but I was curious just how far down the Underworld was compared in depth to this Mariana Trench was.

If this mermaid had been able to reach the Underworld by a passage that connected a cave in the ocean to this salt water lake here in the forest, then this may have a future importance. It wasn't something that I could think of on the top of my head, but this coincidence and chance seemed too random to not have a sense of meaning to it.

"I don't know what led me here, but I remember . . . I don't know how to describe it; it was like an unusually strong source of energy. I don't quite understand it, but I felt so easily drawn towards it that I just kept on diving. And then, instead of diving further, I followed it through a gap in the rocks in Challengers Deep until it was suddenly above. I broke through the water, and that's when I found you."

'A strong energy, huh?'

My first thought immediately went onward towards my ability to finally achieve Balance Breaker may have been that strong energy that she was talking about, but surely it couldn't be that coincidental could it?

But looking around this Forest, the only other person who would possess such a strong aura would be the Dragon Queen trying to kill me.

 **"AAAaaaAAArrrRRrrRrrrrgggHHHhH!"**

Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.

I really should had jinxed myself then, but at the sound of her pained and infuriated roar, I felt the urgent need to run.

"What was that?"

"A dragon, and she is not happy."

I didn't even think about what I was doing next until I was already running. I hadn't thought clearly until our path that cut through the forest ended up at another lake, only this one was freshwater, and had a river running into it, and also out of it.

I said our, because I didn't think before I acted and picked up the mermaid with me as I ran. Through the treeline, the bushes, the grass, the branches, and even over the many scattered rocks that lay about, I carried her in my arms. Bridal carry, I should mention.

Fireman's hold would have been much easier for me in terms of mobility, but as if you could have expected me to carry a girl like that throughout the forest. I can say from experience that it is not comfortable riding with someone's shoulder digging into your gut.

Whether it was because of the loud noises that were spooking the woodland, or because the length of my arms, but she kept her face buried into my pectorals the entire time I was running.

'Was her temperature always this hot?'

I had no time to question my own observations when I found myself with no path left to advance to. Sure I could go into the water, but I had no way of telling how deep it was. I looked left and found no way except around it across the jagged rocks. I looked right, but there was some particularly shady looking brambles and rotting wood that didn't at all look like a safe way to step across to.

Flying wasn't even a reliable option, no matter how much I might have willed it. With my wing still damaged from my earlier fight, and no guarantee I could get my Balance Breaker out so soon. Not to mention I was also with a passenger who I couldn't very well abandon on my conscience in such a dishonourable manner.

So, I could have always gone back and tried to find a new route-

 **"Where Are You? Ddraig! I'll Rip You In Shreds!"**

. . . Or not.

Without a moment's hesitation, I leapt for the water and buried both our heads beneath the surface, until we were deep below the world above us.

I don't know why I thought that diving would immediately hide us from the presence of the only dragon I know who manipulates water. The many wounds on my body started stinging as the water made contact with them, but compared to the injuries Bova and the other dragons had inflicted me before, all was but minor flesh wounds and not enough pain to actually hinder me.

I couldn't see her from where I was, but I could only

The mermaid no longer needed me to carry her around since the water was her domain so she kept herself buoyant on her own. Though she had some sort of confliction across her face that I never did understand.

The problem came after two minutes, maybe less than that, when I felt an ache in my lungs. That sudden thought then spread into my throat and then behind my mouth and nose as the thought of breathing returned to my natural processes.

But I couldn't go up for air. That was the problem. I knew that I couldn't lest face the wrath of Tiamat again. I had no guarantee I could reach Balance Breaker again so soon, nor did I know if I could muster the strength to beat her on the ground or near the water especially.

I could only hide, but now I was losing that option quicker than I needed it to by my own volition.

'Ddraig. Can I {boost} my lungs to help me hold my breath for longer?"

['I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but my Sacred Gear can perform miracles, but not the physically impossible. Had you {boosted} before you held your breath, then it may have worked, but your body can only take in as much air. Devil's aren't so much better than humans when it comes to the water, so.']

Great. I had no prospects for lasting any longer.

'Then I guess we're done for; if I stay down here, I'll drown. If I go back up, I'm toast. Either way it does not end well for me.'

('Kind sir, are you ok?')

'Hmm?'

A second voice was in my head. But, I didn't know where.

('You seem to be talking to yourself, is everything alright with you?')

I looked over the mermaid swimming in front of me, as he came in closer to my face. Though her mouth never opened, her expressions were matching the mood of the voice speaking to me.

'Wait, you can hear my thoughts?'

['Of course she can, Partner; {Undersea Telepathy} is a common ability among mermaids. I say telepathy, but all it is sending vibrations through the water to project your thoughts.']

'Then how do I hear her and she hears me?'

['You're a devil now, you affinity to sounds increased, and your ability to project magic also increased following your training. Not to mention, you surpassed {Balance Breaker}, so your own power already pushes the boundaries of the universe.']

There was still too much that I didn't know about my Scared Gear at this time, but I realised that by breaking my natural limits, I had opened a new door to greater heights now. With Ddraig's conclusions being the only satisfaction in my mind, I chose to simply acknowledge that the dragon knew more about the prison designed to encase him than I did.

*BLUB*

But that didn't solve my air problems as I accidentally let some out from my nose. I answered the mermaid as clearly as I could, without trying to worry her, but I pinched my nose just to hold open a little longer.

'I'm sorry to worry you. It's just I'm running out of breath and it's far too dangerous to-'

I didn't get to say anymore as my mind suddenly went black when a pair of lips suddenly caught my own. The shock of it made me lose my train of thought, and I even forgot I was trying to hang on to breath when I stopped pinching my nostrils.

I am not kidding when I am telling you this; a mermaid wrapped her lips around mine.

Was it kissing? It didn't feel like a kiss. I'm not experienced enough to define what a kiss is like, but I know just from what I have observed that there is usually a process of sucking, but she was more like feeding me through her mouth.

Does pushing her tongue in also count though?

Too many questions, but that is not the importance of this here.

Once she let go, I no longer needed to gasp for air. I don't know how she did it, but after the . . . kiss, I no longer felt like I needed air despite having been forced to exhale all that I had during the process.

('There. Now you should be able to stay here a little longer.')

'U-um. Th-thank you. But . . . where did you . . . ? How?'

('I'm still partially humanoid in appearance, so I do have lungs.')

'Bu-but . . .?'

('I'm also part fish, so I have a swim bladder full of air to keep me buoyant in the water. So, you don't have to worry about me drowning for your sake. I have gills too, so it will replenish in time.')

Though it was hard seeing it, her gills were located around the lower half of her rib cage. I had enough trouble not covering them up with how close she nested between my arms. If I wasn't careful, I would be suffocating her.

Because this was going to be a problem from my end, I had to try and resolve this with her.

'I'm sorry to ask, but is it possible to-'

('I'm sorry, but I can't.')

'I-it's not that I d-d-don't mind you clinging, it-it's just that-'

('No, I-I mean I really can't; I used up the air in my swim bladder, so I'll end up sinking if I let go.')

Though I felt embarrassed with her still clinging to me so tightly, I couldn't very well deny her my aid for something so crucial. And besides, from the shade of black below us, there would be no guarantee how deep this water really was. She could get stuck down there for all that was possible.

Or worse, something may live down there. I didn't even want to think about that though.

I waited for an extra minute, before Ddraig sent me a sign that it was safe to swim again.

['Coast is clear, Partner. Best go back up now before she decides to come back.']

'Thanks, Ddraig. Let's go back up then before I really do drown.'

I won't bore you too long with what happened next, but three important events occurred after that:

The first was both of us swimming back to the surface, with her still clinging tightly around my neck from the front. Though she couldn't stay buoyant, she was of great help reaching above water quicker thanks to her natural amphibious physiology. She hid her face the entire time we were swimming upwards.

Second, was that I had to hoist her out of the water since I couldn't stay in too much longer, and she still needed to regain buoyancy before diving back in. She was surprisingly light despite having a large tail as she did. After a few minutes of sitting, she informed me she had ample air replenished in her swim bladder, before deciding to splash me with water as she dived straight in without warning.

And the third, was that it was her decision that we should continue our separate ways.

Understandably I was skeptical to her claims that she would be okay with herself, since she was not a native to the Underworld, nor did she have any intentions of going back to the ocean where she originated from.

"Are you sure you can make it by yourself?"

She nodded, with her head barely above the surface, so I didn't exactly know how deep it was.

"As long as there's water, I'll be fine staying here."

"But what about the ocean, and the other people who could speak your language."

"I never fit in with them, because I was always so different."

It made me feel sad seeing her express how outcasted she felt, but she was quick to resume to her more cheerful self when she realised how downtrodden this conversation was making me feel.

"May I know your name, kind sir. Before I leave, I would at least like to know that."

"Issei. Hyoudou Issei, but . . . you can call me Ise if that makes it any better. May I ask for your name?"

She paused for a moment, but she looked like she wanted to open her mouth before that. I was unsure why she had done so, but she was compliant regardless of her reasons for stalling her answer.

"Lily. I'll let you be the only one to call me Lily, kind sir."

After giving me her name, I gave Lily a bit of what I knew about the waters around here, and how a few of the rivers would flow into neighbouring noble territories, so she should preferably try to avoid the ones still owned. I didn't know where we were, but I was certain that either the former Murmur Kaim, or Vepar territory was to the West of the Forest, but I told her for certain that staying her was not preferable since many young devils find familiars here.

As the started to allow the current to pull herself away, she then said something I would never forget about her. But, I should have seen what she was going to say when she played with her lips as if to signify a "quiet secret" signal.

"I should also say, that was my first ever kiss."

I of course got flustered at the mere mention of that statement, which only made her laugh.

"W-w-w-w-w- . . . "

"Here, catch!"

Out of the water, her right hand threw something at me. I managed to catch it, but I ended up soaking my left foot in the water as I leaned forward to reach within range. Lily found it funny as I fumbled a bit to bet out of the water, with the mud trying to drag the rest of my body in with me.

I opened my hand and looked upon the smoothest white and oval shaped stone I had ever seen. It wasn't a flat stone either. No. It was a polygon with the dimensions that could have made it interchangeable with an egg.

I think you can see where this is going.

"What's this?"

"Something as a memento. Think of me when you look at it. Ok, Ise."

That girl was seriously aggressive in her flirting, waggling her finger and winking to her left side as she did.

"I'll be sure never to forget you, Ise. Or that kiss."

She dived before I could react, and then she was just gone. I was left there in the Forest of Familiars with nothing but the injuries I wore, the burnt, scratched and stain clothes I had draped over me, and a small round white stone clutched in my right hand given to me by Lily.

And of course, I had Ddraig's comments to keep me company before I would be rescued from here.

['Hahahahah-hahah. You lady-killer.']

'Shut up, perverted dragon!'

 **The End**

* * *

After concluding my story, the area we were both currently occupying started feel a little warmer than usual. Though the top floor was notorious for being the coldest floor above ground, the humidity at this moment was that of sitting huddled by an open fire.

"Ravel?"

"Hhhhmmhmhmmmmmhmmmmhmmhmmmm."

There was a reason I didn't want to tell the story, especially in front of Ravel who was now pouting and puffing out her cheeks this they were sorely red. I didn't understand at the time whether this was her deliberately overreacting or not, but the fire behind her eyes looked real in hindsight, so I know that she was really not pleased with what she heard. Plus this heat was no joking manner.

"Are you alright?"

It was a stupid question to be asking her since the her lack of composure was a clear give away. She was angry, and I knew exactly why that was; while it had been an action that had saved my life potentially, it was unmistakably a kiss. And the way I described the entire encounter only made it worse in how much detail I was able to recount in comparison to certain events before where I either gloss over or make excuses for not remembering quite a clearly.

She huffed for a while and didn't speak, which made me feel very bad inside. I don't know how long it was that we were just silently sitting there. Though she was angry with me, she made no effort to simply walk away from this. I just looked to my feet and waited to hear what she was going to do next, if anything.

I remembered return home with that same stone still in my pocket after a couple days in which I needed some recovery magic for a while after scrapping with Tiamat and the several layers of forest I unmistakably destroyed in the process of falling. ravel had visited me as often in a day as she could, often using her free periods during study sessions to sit by my bedside until my injuries were healed up.

That small stone sat prompted on my bedside, until one day it suddenly cracked and out came a small little feathered and scaled creature no bigger than a chick from what was really an egg. Based on the physiology of the little creature, it was determined to be a Cockatrice, which was not a creature one could find in their garden as Zatouji, the [Familiar Master], assured me when he was brought round to determine the baby's species. The result of a frog sitting on a chicken's egg or so he said, but it sounded too bizarre to be real until I remembered that I had a dragon living in my arm and chess pieces belonging to a devil inside my chest.

As the little golden and green bird-dragon was only a baby it had none of it's born abilities like petrify people into stone with a single look, but the little fellow grew attacked to me after deciding that biting me wasn't at all too tasty, which allowed me to take him as my familiar. On his name, I went for "Karuka" from the katakana form of "Calcatrix", an alternate name for his species.

I think he is a he, but I don't exactly know. But, I do still remember Lily when I see him, since she was the one who initially picked him up.

"Mistletoe."

I lifted my head up as I found myself looking at her again. She looked a little angry still, and her face was still flushed, but I prematurely assumed it was because she was still angry or hot, or possibly both. It wasn't. It was mistletoe.

"Huh? Mistletoe?"

I looked to where her finger was pointing, and low and behold, there was mistletoe right above our heads. Having been sitting her for several hours now, I found myself scratching myself why there was mistletoe there and that I had no idea it was even here to begin with. I thought back to the previous years and I never once recalled seeing any mistletoe hanging there before. In fact, this part of the household was usually off limits to guests, so it was ever that highly decorated, and a plant that grows exclusively in the overworld alone was worth quite a bit down here.

I too then started to realise just why Ravel was red in the face still, as I started contracting the same reaction from realizing the implications this mean, especially during these times. It wasn't another tradition that was related to Christmas, nor was it that commonly celebrated for the winter's mass down here, but it was just something people adopted as an excuse that has sort of intergrated with contemporary culture. It was undeniable that both of us were so enfixed with the idea that neither one of us could back down without it looking bad on our persons.

Besides . . . it was not like I didn't want to . . . ki-k, you know.

"Yes, it's mistletoe" she replied, now looking straight into my eyes. I tried to keep my attention to her eyes as well, but i was feeling a sudden draw towards her lips instead, which started getting me internally confused, but left my external posture unmoving and unshowing of this.

I thought of it like the perception magic seal placed on Ddraig to keep people from finding out about him prematurely; now that I was thinking about the prospect of kissing her, I was suddenly becoming more aware of her and less hesitant to distract myself away from them.

I kept thinking of a great many things that i was now being caught to attention towards; her lips looking very plump and pinkish, wondering if they might taste of something sweet like raspberries if I went in towards them. Whether I really could start reaching out and touching her cheeks, possibly brushing her hair over her ear, and possibly brushing my fingers through the many strands the made up her signature ringlets on either side of her head, maybe have enough to delicately ensnare my wrist in those golden locks.

I was also noticing that rather than being rather smaller than me with only a years difference between us, that it was more a delicate figure, and that the tininess of her statue was attributing to a doll-like figure and that I would rather like to pick her up and hold her tightly in my arms. I had hugged her before, but something about the kind of hug I was imagining was different, like it wasn't something I wanted to reward her with, but something I would rather enjoy more, but wouldn't want to let her go from.

Nine heartbeats started running a little too wild in my chest, with only one of them belonging solely to me. The other eight were obvious reactions to my emotions as was their job, but the synchronicity between all of them only made the feeling that more intense and real.

"S-s- . . . So you know what we have to do right?"

"U-Uh-Um. Y-Yes, the . . . kissing.

Though Ravel and I both spoke, neither of us made a move past looking at each other, and it would have been plainly obvious to outside observation that this was something that was making us both embarrassed.

'[Take the initiative. You're the man here, Partner]'

Ddraig's voice echoed through my head, but he promised not to interfere any further than that. But, he was right. I should have been the one to initiate this, since it was part of the tradition or at least I believed it was so.

I shuffled slightly forward, which made Ravel jump slightly, but she then leaned back to her previous stance, while I started to slowly move forward, but then as I reached in to the point that I was about to press my hand unto her thigh that I snatched it back and pulled back a little.

It was so stupid, but that the sudden touch of her dress I started getting overloaded with so many thoughts running across my vision that I felt the urge to yield and pull back before I could clear away the anxiety that had invaded my common sense.

"You were fine kissing a mermaid, but not me. Right?"

"I-i-i-i-i- . . . I . . ."

"It's because you don't want to, right?"

I felt like I was suddenly going to lose her with those words. The retreat had been a costly one and it looked as if I would get no recovery from this which allowed the ice to overrun my emotions. But . . .

"N-n-no. I- . . . Ravel."

She then reached forward and cuffed both my cheeks, which caught my speaking pattern and forced me to silence before I spoke her name. Her face was a strawberry now, but she never averted her eyes from me. I watched as they turned from attack to shock, then from hesitation, to overcoming her thoughts to a renewed offensive. Her flashing sapphire eyes then started to draw in closer as she spoke sense to me.

"Then . . . it should matter too much if it's just a quick one. I mean, I'd hate to break traditions."

"U-u, w-e-well ok then."

After confirming my own approval, we drew our faces in till our noses were only delicately pressing against each other. I could taste her breath at this distance, how suspiciously sweet the fragrance of dragon apples on her breath mixed in with her natural aromas had put me at ease enough that I was able to slowly twist around my head so that our lips could finally meet.

And then, we touched.

. . .

. . .

. . .

. . . Then, we parted.

In the history of kisses, this would not have even made the ranking of a decent kiss which was to be expected for our first one. With only a simple touch of lips and nothing further till be pulled back, it barely qualified.

But what I felt from our joining was real.

That amourous feeling that suddenly sparked alight was real while I was awkwardly staring into her jeweled eyes, that too was real, and even while we barely even sucked each others lips, that warm feeling was real and I was comforted by it. And when I finally decided that we had to pull away, the massaging warmth was drained as quickly as I had gained it which also asserted to me that what had happened was definitely real and that all feelings drawn towards it were not fictitious either.

But, then I said nothing. And we both knew it was suddenly becoming awkward after that.

Finally, after Maou knows how long, Ravel finally prompted her dismissal from our company.

"I need to rejoin the party soon. It will look suspicious if I don't eventually join the other High-class devils soon enough."

I looked up only briefly, but the flash of memory made by gaze feel heavier than previously.

"Oh. O-o-o-ok. Then, I'll stay here then."

There was a few more seconds of awkward temporal pause before I started to catch sight of her feet leaving my field of vision.

"This will probably be the last time tonight so; good night, Ise."

I didn't answer for quite a bit, until she started to move further and further away. Only then could I muster some small courage to finally give her a real departing reply.

"Good night, Rav- . . . Rei-chan."

She stopped for a moment when I called out to her. She only turned her head sideways in my direction, but didn't look towards me. Her eyes covered from a shadow from her forehead prevented me from seeing the shade of blue her emotions were reflecting out of them.

" _You baka._ "

Though I heard her reply, there was no sense of malice behind her words, nor was their even an ounce of playfulness, which made feel concerned. But I did nothing, but let her continue to walk further and further away from my sights, till she was no longer in front of me.

I was alone

'[You still need to learn a lot more about women, Partner]'

Well, I was never totally alone, not when I always had Ddraig to talk to.

I knew straight away from his answer that he was right as I turned my head towards the potted plant where I hid our glasses from before.

'Is that so, Ddraig? I guess being separated for too long has made me uselessly unprepared for this.'

As I held both glasses in either of my hands, I stopped and poured the contents of both glasses into mine. It wasn't hard to tell which was mine gathered that ravel had struggled swallowing down hers compared to me, who could stomach the juice much more naturally due to overexposure. I could have used this excuse and drank from her glass, but that was neither appropriate, nor was it a sane thing to even juggle alone, so of course I didn't.

That urge to retake that feeling we shared between us. I wanted to recreate it, even if it had been an indirect kiss, I thought it may had still been possible. That was until my better senses reminded me of social etiquette and consequences of such a secret action bubbling inside of my conscience. I would never be able to look at her the same had I done that.

'[I doubt you would have noticed even if you hadn't accepted Tannin's tutelage. Hell, I think you would have been even more dense.]'

'With you whispering in my ear, I doubt that could have gotten worse.'

'[Will you do anything?]'

'. . .'

I spoke nothing, except swallowed down a sip of dragon apple juice. It had gotten warmer in our absence, but it was still the same bitter taste I was accustomed to as I lifted myself up fully with both feet on the windowsill as well as my seat. I even pressed my face against the cold, fogged glass as I watched as the world moved on without me.

'[You know that leaving it like this will only make it worse later on.]'

I nodded.

'I know.'

'[And yet you will do nothing.]'

Again, I nodded with another sip down my throat to boot.

'I've known for quite a while now. Even if I- . . . there will always be the issue of blood. I'm still her servant, and I will remain at her side forever like we promised. Devil society is far more critical of these kind of issues than for humans.'

'[Nobility from blood purity. It's not such an old story. Though the human world lack the concept of higher technology and magic from being dispossessed, morality has exceeded centuries of development. You never promised each other your hearts.]'

I took another sip, and flickered though my memories to my reincarnation ceremony to Ddraig's claim.

'No. We never did, did we.'

'[I have made many mistakes in my life, Partner. I have met many people over the course of history. But the story is always the same; people always have the same desires and goals in life. No matter how different, it is forever the same.]'

'Even you, Ddraig?'

'[Especially for me, Partner.]'

'I guess I can always rely on that.'

'[Many before have relied on me. You would do well to learn from their experiences through me.]'

I downed the remaining contents from both glasses, before setting them both down to the floor to avoid me knocking them off or having to shit around in order to hide them again. I smiled a little, then returned to my solemn expression as I saw the fireworks being prompted across the grounds to celebrate the mark of the midnight hour across the entire Underworld and the official end of winter's mass.

'Will do.'

* * *

 **Life DX - Legend of the Dragons**

 **["I was born in 1115 BCE, from an egg that was brought to the lands of Britannia by the Men of Troy. I was but a mere prize they had plucked from the Nile, but it wasn't until I reached Ancient Kamber's Land that I hatched from my many centuries of slumber and took to making my home in the lands now known as Wales. The primitive beings who settled the land eventually named me as "Y Ddraig Goch", and I was later known as [Ddraig Cymraeg] which later became [Welsh Dragon].**

 **Before the Men of Rome reached the White Isles shores, there was a white creature that made its first appearance. The one the Romano-Germanic peoples were calling "Albion Gwiber", or the [Vanishing Dragon] due to his white hue that allowed him to camouflage his pale hide against the clouds above before swooping upon the unsuspecting prey.**

 **Our strengths were equally matched, and yet we fought to kill the other. After generations, it no longer mattered that we were no longer fighting over territory as our struggle shifted over many distant lands, even took time out of our battle to fight other foes for a short while. I remember exchanging blows the the Crime Force Dragon, Grendel during my time in Scandinavia. There was even a time with Tiamut, but I dare not recount further than that. Then, our duel became a topic of concern for the leaders of the Three Factions, who put aside their own war to destroy the both of us.**

 **Though are efforts were valiant, neither of us were in any shape to fight the might of Three principal factions at the same time. I remember destroying many angels, fallen and devils before I myself met a similar fate. Tzadkiel in particular was an interesting one; he attempted to freeze me, only to be met by deadly Blaze. The goose was cooked to well-done. Aldemyer Pruflas, I remember too, tried to face Albion alone. Now all that remains is a scorch mark where a puddle of acid had melted him where he fell. So many dead, it was great little war we had.**

 **Eventually though, we were both destroyed by the combined might of Jehovah from above, and Attar from beneath, with many subordinates cutting our escape till we were no longer of this plain of existence. Fate, either kind or cruel, placed our remnants at the mercy of the [God of Angels] who placed our souls into these Sacred Gears. That was in 100 BCE, the birth year of the Roman Dictator known as Caesar.**

 **I awoke to find myself, but not myself. I felt weightless, yet I was anchored. Though I could see all, I was blind. When I finally awoke from the darkness, I was in the eyes of a small child. A girl actually. Junia. Life wasn't interesting, but I should have appreciated the time we had together instead of wallowing in my self-pity;**

 **I started speaking to her in her dream. Scared the child half to death, thinking a demon had invaded her mind. I never corrected her, only persisting in my right to challenge God and the Satans again. The Augur called my voice the words of their God of War, Mars who demanded war upon the Pontic and against their King Mithridates VI. The stupidity in mankind. Though she never fully awoken me into the physical realm, I regret never having had a proper conversation with her even once. She was killed in the fire that broke out in the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in 83 BCE. She was 16 years old.**

 **I awoke to many of hosts after her; some were long-lived, some were short. Some fought, other struggled and ran. I remember each and every one of their names. Even those who barely lived are always on my mind.**

 **My first true partner was Aurelius Ambrosius, King of the Britons. In the wars against the usurper Vortigern, and then later against his son Vortimer. With the doubling power that was bestowed upon him by my Sacred Gear, his prowess in the field of battle was asserted time and time again.**

 **And yet, his wars were far from over.**

 **In the newly established Kingdom of Kent, King Hengist of the Saxons had made his home here after fighting Vortigern's wars for him, before he betrayed the usurper also. But when my host and the Saxon King finally met in battle in 469 CE, a true rivalry was rekindled.**

 **["Welsh Dragon"]**

 **["Vanishing Dragon"]**

 **Upon the back of the Saxon King were Albion's Light Wings, the same ones Hengist had used time and time again to weaken his enemies. When both met in open field, our powers clashed for the first in five hundred years. The continued battled between our two kings eventually allowed us to reach Balance Breaker for the first time in our lifetimes, until King Hengist was killed in 480 CE, and not by my gauntlet.**

 **Aurelius' reputation preceded him, even after he eventually perished a few years after his rival. Though both sides achieved glory in their lifetimes, it was the [Red Dragon of the Britons] who emerged victorious in the wars of the isles. He never truly spoke to me as equals, but acknowledged the strength I bestowed to him. His brother, Eutherius took kingship after him, even adopting the dragon as their family's new symbol, thus creating the House of the Dragon, or the Pendragons as it was better known.**

 **I had many great and powerful hosts, like my 45th: Elsha Blodhfallidh (Bloodfallen) of Gottland, the [Strongest Female Red Dragon Emperor], better known as the [Bloodied Empress of Red]. In 1206 CE, she flew from Iceland to Greenland in a single day, then wrestled and killed a kraken in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. She also killed the [White Dragon Emperor] Jaime del Castello over the dominions of Ireland, only to die at the hands of Sir William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke and his {True Longinus}.**

 **And also, my 54th host; Belzard Glazdlyazmeya (Serpent's Eye), who was by far the [Strongest Male Red Dragon Emperor]. He alone killed two [White Dragon Emperors] in his lifetime, known as the [Vanisher's Slayer] and [Red Blizzard Dragon Emperor], but perhaps his best moniker was [Velikiyzmey Okeburi] (The Great Serpent in the Eye of the Storm). He fought many in the winters of Siberia, and even into deepest Turkestan, slaying both [White Dragon Emperors] Dimitri Ivanovich and Sullah ad-Din Tuanqing in 1352 and 1370 CE. He eventually died at the hands of Parvin ibn-Umar, one of the generals serving under Tamerlane, and a wielder of {Dimension Lost}.**

 **But, I truly became a Longinus when my soul was bonded with my 39th host, Marcupo. Born in the Philippine Islands in 1141 CE, he was the only [Red Dragon Emperor] to have ever killed a god.**

 **The islands were home to seven moon deities, one of whom was Mayari, daughter of the [King of the Gods] Bathala by a mortal woman. Naturally, they were fond of each other growing up, until the village head responded by burning their houses, Marcupo arose to the skies in full armour to punish them, by responding in kind.**

 **And when Mayari, now risen as a goddess, lost an eye during a bet with her half-brother, Apolaki the [Sun God], Marcupo punched him for what he had done until he agreed to share dominion of the land with his sister in atonement.**

 **And finally, when a rival moon goddess, Haliya attempted to usurp Mayari's role due to the loss of one of her eyes, Marcupo fought her for twenty eight days. The battle ranged until Haliya was weakened by the dawn of the New Moon, at which Marcupo activated [Juggernaut Drive] and tore her to pieces before he consumed her until the sudden loss of control killed him and his life force died out.**

 **He became known as [Bakunawa], the Moon-eating Dragon, and thus his slaying of Haliya earned my {Boosted Gear} the rank of Longinus. Definitely not the strongest host I ever had, he was one of the more interesting. His children ending up inheriting the title and attempted the same trials he did.**

 **From what information I have managed to salvage from our brief exchanges of words rather than strength, Albion's sacred gear, {Divine Dividing} only became a Longinus in 1521 CE, when his host Xicotencatl II crushed the Fifth Aztec Sun God, Tonatiuh, which led to the Fall of the Aztec Empire having lost the divine protection of their solar deity.**

 **Now, after two millennia trapped as a spirit, constantly at odds with my lifetime rival, I have found myself with another unusual host; though not the youngest to have ever summoned me early in his life, he is the first to become a devil rather than remain human.**

 **My second Japanese host, Hyoudou Issei, is but a boy still. He is weak now, but has so much potential. And unlike many other who have come and gone before him, he is the first to acknowledge me as a being rather than a tool in so long.**

 **I do not know what the future will hold for my 92nd host, but I will look forward to it as it unveils, as the [Sekiryuutei]."]**

 **The End**

* * *

Having left my Pawn and only real friend in the world to join in the last party of the festival, why was I, Ravel Phenex, crying like this?

"That stupid . . . baka."

My face was shining in the torch light that flanked the walls of every corridor in my home. I continuously used the backs of my sleeves to dab them from my cheeks till they become soaked through, only to find that they were still dripping with tears.

I was not sad because I was leaving Issei to rejoin my family downstairs.

Nor was I crying because I disliked the party.

No. I was in tears because I realised how little time I had left with Issei;

Though we would always be together, it would be as King and Pawn, and that was all that anyone would have expected. In April next year, Issei would be gone again to attend high school in the overworld, so I will not see him again for a long while again. It was similar to him leaving for most of those years with Lord Tannin, but was further away this time, and nor would I be able to get permission to speak to him, let alone visit him in the overworld, wherever he may end up studying.

And even when he visits, he will still have his new duties to his own private studying, his devil work, and more training on top of it, while I still continue with my own education on the side. We will still see little of each other.

And, even when we may attend school together, I will be his kouhai, but by then it will be too late. I would have already finalised my engagement, to whomever my parents have selected for me. I will have lost my chance.

I had an extensive list of possible suitors and had attended a great many interviews with pure-blooded nobles that my parents had selected out of the remaining devils left. That was what I never told Issei. Had I known that this was how things would have turned out, I think I would have been a little more braver when we had the chance. But i couldn't tell him any of this. I couldn't express how much I treasured him and wanted there to be more between us.

I wanted more than just lord and servant.

More than simply being childhood friends.

I wanted . . . more. I wanted him to realise that I wanted there to be more between us.

I wanted him to know . . . to know that I . . . love him.

I sniffled and continued to clean away the wetness across my eyes, but I felt them getting sore from the friction with the fabrics of my dress. I chose this one, because it was similar in colour to the one I wore went I was first in the overworld. That moment when we first met, and when he came into my life and changed it.

I was starting to forget about all the stories, the knights that rescue princesses, starting to reach an age where I would believe that it was too far ion the past and that I could never have it. But he made that declaration to me in his broken dialect when we were still children. It was then that I really believed in him. I felt my heart flutter for the first time, as I was looking up at him in awe. And when Akeno was pressing into his back, I felt so horrid. It was this horrid feeling like jealously when I saw that.

I remember feeling very warm and comforted when he was with me after that day, and every day after that I wanted to feel his hands holding mine, and to never let go. I never knew that it was love then. I only became aware after Grandfather Algernon started teasing me for holding Issei's hand during Ruval's party, which I then needed mother to explain to me what he was talking about.

She said that love was the most natural of addictions; you feel funny taking it, sometimes good and sometimes you think it's bad but you still want it all the same. You hate it when people take it when it's yours, and then you want to hold unto it tighter. It is, also the hardest addiction to let go of, and the wounds it inflicts are never visible but never really fade when you have to forcibly let go of something so wonderful.

And that's what was happening now. I was realising that my withdrawal phase was approaching faster than I wanted it to. And, it was breaking me piece by piece. The worst pain of it was that I was never able to satisfy my ache by telling him. I couldn't tell him, and I couldn't find the right time or the right way to do it. So, I tried to make him realise it without telling him.

I knew he averted his eyes, despite the fact I discreetly made turn of events come about. I knew he would notice what I was doing, stretching my arms above my head, leaning in closer to him, pressing his hand into my breast over my heart. I even made sure that the mistletoe was there above us when the servants were decorating the house, just were we always met every single year so we could have an excuse to kiss.

I must sound like an irresponsible young woman for taking such actions, but I should have realised it was too little to make him realise how serious I was being without acting scandalous. I may be a woman in love, but I cannot allow that to make me forget that I am also a High-class devil and there are certain actions I shouldn't do.

"I should have realised it sooner. He's been smacked around the head too many times that he's become thick-skulled."

I tried to laugh it off by making a small joke about the situation, but it only made the pain even worse in my chest. That kiss we shared. *sniff* It was awkward. It was hot and it was a mess. It was not what I had imagined at all. I wanted it to be more.

But . . . remembering it is enough. Touching my bottom lip and reminiscing about it soothes me a little. This ache feels warmer, but taking my fingers away leaves me cold again.

"I just- . . . I wanted to have this one last chance to be that close with him. Before, . . . we end up losing that."

I wiped my eyes for the quintilliant time, citing how sore my lower eyelids were feeling now, before I straightened my form and proceeded down the stairs.

". . . Please. Notice me, Issei. Some day, before it's too late."

A last tear fell from my face, before I left the top floor behind me that evening, as the fireworks ended the night's events once and for all.

* * *

 _Three years behind us,_

 _Three years more to come our way,_

 _As will forever._

 _You, the lady, coyed_

 _To the notions of marriage_

 _Amidst transgressions,_

 _And I, the dragon_

 _Battlehard and feeding fear_

 _Against trespassers._

* * *

 **Omake VIII: So Many People, So Little Time**

 **Alek:** (running from off screen, gasping for air) I finally . . . *gasp* . . . made it!

 **Ravel:** (ticked off) You are seriously late!

 **Issei:** (in agreement) Not only did you give us a sweet taste of freedom to not only bring us back here-

 **Alek:** (gobsmacked) I was being nice (quietly) _which is unusual for me in this universe._ (growing a grey beard) besides: "A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to." (sheds it away quickly)

 **Issei:** (continuing) . . . but you also promised it would be a week later or you would skip this chapter and move on. I mean look at the word count: over 30,000 words! No one wants to read this much in one sitting. It's enough to fill a Light Novel for crying out loud!

 **Alek:** Well I had a plausible excuse for being late-

 **Ravel** : (presenting a letter) Even the reviewers were worried about you. **User:darth56** wrote this review scared that you had ended this work prematurely.

 **Alek:** (sighing) You're right, I;m sorry that I didn't update on time, but I had a legitimate reason which corresponds with my IRL, so I ended up delaying it because it was unfinished. Forgive me for that, but it's here now.

 **Issei:** Also, if you leave this work unfinished, how do we get back to our world?

 **Alek:** (pretending nothing happened) Right, on with the party! (puts on his hat)

 **Issei:** (annoyed) . . . Alright, I am just going to say this since no one here will: (shouting) WHY THE HELL ARE WE CELEBRATING!

 **Alek:** Because I already missed celebrating Christmas and New Years with you, so here we are. (pulls a party popper) Happy Celebrations!

 **Ravel:** (pulling the streamers out of her hair) I don't usually resort to language like this, but this is f***ing ridiculous.

 **Alek:** And after I went to the trouble to invite everyone.

 **Issei:** Exactly, you  kidnapped us here again-

 **Alek:** I let you go home for the holidays.

 **Issei:** (ignoring him) Not only us, but you decided to abduct my entire peerage for enjoyment as well.

 **Alek:** (looking over to Issei's right towards Asia, Xenovia, and Rossweisse) . . . what's you're point? I sent you a letter.

 **Ravel:** (rolling her eyes) I'm more ticked that  this is what you got your readers excited about when you left a cliffhanger two chapters back. It's like you don't think things through anymore.

 **Asia:** (raising her hand) Can someone please tell me what's going on?

 **Issei:** (sighing) I'm so sorry about this Asia. But we're going to be stuck here for the duration of this omake.

 **Asia:** (puzzled) _Oh-mah-key?_

 **Ravel:** (explaining) It's a short humourous extra bit of fun that authors or creators tend to add at the ends of their work in order to lighten the mood. It's never really considered canon, but it does usually relate to the latest work.

 **Asia:** (eyes spinning) . . . I . . . I don't understand.

 **Issei:** All you need to know is that this jerk here is in control and he will keep us here for his entertainment.

 **Alek:** (insulted) Excuse me? I'll have you know that on the alignment system, I like to think of myself as Lawful Neutral.

 **Issei:** _Lawful Evil more like._

 **Xenovia:** (analysing) So, what you are saying is; in this world, he is God?

 **Ravel:** For the most part, yes.

 **Xenovia:** (turns to Alek) So if I wish for you to do something for me while we're here, it will come true?

 **Alek:** (sweatdrop) . . . I'm not a genie.

 **Xenovia:** (questioning further) Hmm, but from I've heard from Kiryuu-san, if you enter a god's personal space, you have to get on your knees in front of them, lean in, and then take them all in for them to do something for you? It's supposedly some sort of unwritten rule. (Issei and Ravel in too much shock to answer that they are white-washed) What?

 **Alek:** (blank) ? ? ?

 **Asia:** (going red and hiding her face) Xenovia! Y-y-you can't say stuff like that! You're Kaichou now!

 **Xenovia:** (realises what Asia means) You're right Asia-shinbuchou! I can't believe I was being so foolish to not think my words carefully. I will do better.

 **Asia:** (shining eyes) As expected of Xenovia; getting right back up. Let God help lead you.

 **Xenovia:** (fist pumping) Yes. Let's make great strides in our future endeavors as the Shinkaichou and Shinbuchou respectively!

 **Asia and Xenovia:** Amen!

 **Asia:** (awkward pause) . . . It's strange not having Irina here with us now.

 **Xenovia:** (nodding) I agree. So let's make up for our self-proclaiming member's absence by pushing on.

 **Asia:** (nodding) Yes. Let's do it.

 **Xeniovia:** (to Alek) I want to apologise for what I said. I am still

 **Alek:** (shaking his finger) There's no need. I don't expect apologies from people, even when they are being brutally honest or just plain trolling me with deliberately insulting comments instead of constructive criticism. (looks to _certain_ reviewers) _You know exactly who you are, because everyone can see_.

 **Xenovia:** (kneeling) So in penance, I offer my body for you to use it in what ever way you please.

 **Ravel** (sweatdrop) _She's clueless to what she originally said._

 **Issei:** (plugged up his nose) _Yep, she is still ignorant, even now when she's the new Student Council President_

 **Alek:** Hmm . . . ? (nosebleed when the realises what she meant) W-w-well, I didn't mean it like that.

 **Xenovia:** (leans in) Are you sure there's nothing I can do? (presses her chest against him) For the chance of getting a wish granted by a god, I willing to do whatever task you ask of me.

 **Issei:** (gobsmacked as Alek bleeds further) . . . _I can't beleve I'm seeing this._ _So his weakness . . . is Xenovia_. _He actually has a waifu among the main cast. I'm shocked it wasn't Ravel though._

 **Ravel:** (conjuring a plan) _If we cannot defeat Alek-sama with force of words, we now have a secret weapon. (evil laugh) Oh-ho-ho._

 **Issei:** (evil smirk) _Yes. Now, we will have our revenge, very soon. Mwua-ha-ha_.

 **Rose:** (panicky) Hey! I haven't had any interaction yet. Why did you bother to bring me if this is all you were going to do?

 **Xenovia:** (curious) Perhaps it has to do with popularity that gets you the chance to speak in this section? Ise-kun is very popular and speaks a lot, as does Ravel-san and Asia, but you seem to have the opposite effect, Rossweisse-san.

 **Alek:** (smacking his forehead) This will not end well.

 **Rose:** (bursting into tears) I . . . I'm not popular? Is that true? I-I . . . (runs off screen with her face in her palms)

 **Alek:** (jaw dropped) Aww shit. I'll deal with this, jus-just cut to the reviews! (runs after her)

 **Ravel:** (stunned) Hey don't- . . . (realises it's too late, then sighs) We can't do personal reviews when he leaves like this.

 **Issei:** (thinks for a moment, before psyching himself up) Well then . . . let's just do our best in his absence.

 **Ravel:** (positive) Hai!

 **Issei:** First one is from **User:Th3-Dragon-Lord** , who . . . (stops and reads the letter) What on earth is "DxIfBad End"-

 **Alek:** (running from far away, then smacks the copy from his hands) Don't look!

 **Issei:** (bewildered) Huh? Why?

 **Alek:** (close up to his face) Dark forces were responsible for it's creation. They say that in the twenty-first dimension, there was demon who wanted to create a world where the hero is unsuccessful, and the villain does things so unspeakably cruel to the heroines that it has haunted this very issue. Though so who ever reads it cannot unread it. It is a fate worse than death. (catches his breath) But the art style is good quality. (runs off again)

 **Ravel:** (confused) What was that about? (snatches the letter) ' _give this to Issue if he doesn't behave, okay?_ ' I'd hate to think what kind of evils are in these pages to scare Issei.

 **Issei:** (scared now) I-i-i-i-i think we should move on. (laughing nerviously) **User:Dragon_Rider_66** has a lot of questions for Alek-sama, so we'll leave that for when he next speaks. (puts the review down and picks another one) . . . (stares angrily at the letter)

 **Asia:** (concerned) Ise-san?

 **Issei:** (crinkling the page) It's nothing, Asia. I just have a little issue with **User:ferodile** after he sent me that USB. (pulls a half forced smile) It's ok **fero** , I forgive you.

 **Xenovia:** (pressing her forehead to Issei's) I think you need to lay down, darling. (looking around) Does Irina's baby making room connect with this dimension from anywhere?

 **Ravel:** (flustered at the thought) I-I-I think we should end it here, sicne we have no more questions. Um, thank you to everyone who sentba review, and even to those who actually enjoyed last chapter in comparison to the last few, which is a good morale boost.(to Xenovia and Asia) Ok you two. Finish this up for us.

 **Xenovia:** (nodding) Alright. Thank you everyone who is still reading this, and I think I can say Alek-sama appreciates your patronage.

 **Asia:** (smiling) And next week will definitely be Ise-san's first year at Kuoh Academy, but the Omake will be with Alek-sama and Rose-san since they ran out abruptly.

 **Xenovia and** **Asia:** (together) Until next time, everyone. Bye-bye!

 **Xenovia:** (questioning) Does twelve days still count as one week, or do you round that to two weeks?

 **Asia:** (thinking) I think that it depends on who you ask. I don't know if it's still considered two weeks if it isn't fourteen days, so i can't really give an answer to that.

 **Ravel:** (sighing) _Hopefully this is just a joke and it won't take more than a week to publish the next chapter._

 **Asia:** (looking around) Um, how do we leave?

 **Issei:** (teary) _You don't._

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'LordGhostStriker',** **'Dragon Rider 66',** **'On Soaring Wings',** **'FateBurn',** **'AcclaimingTR',** **'Th3-Dragon-Lord',** **'RedSS',** **'UCCMaster',** **'ferodile',** **'1337Pwny',** **'DragonShot21',** **'DrunkenFistNinja',** **'Guest' (1),** **'IseeiShiva',** **'RuinHuntr',** **'Prodigal Knight', 'jjjj', 'HelpfulNudge', 'darth56', and Redripper666'** **for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**

 **. . . Xenovia** , **I love you. And Rossweisse, it will be ok.**


	9. Return to Kuoh

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release. Or don't, I'm not forcing you. Just a suggestion. But, maybe at least consider it, ok?**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

 _and Limited Edition:_

 **Name** = Point of View/Narration Change*

* * *

It was the spring of 2007, and I, **Hyoudou Issei** , was about to begin my first year of high school.

"Hyoudou-san. The Fukukaichou ( _Vice-President_ ) will see you now."

"Thank you."

Though I had received six years of education in the Underworld, it was a requirement for younger devils to establish themselves by integrating into human society in order to better learn the relationships that run the overworld. Call it post-educational studies of potential contractors and possible future servants.

High-class devils especially were required to at least attain a high schools worth of education before being granted their own territory to govern over the supernatural. While it was a different terminology of ownership, the better description for the role would most likely be warden since the devil in charge took responsibility for defending it more than they did managing it.

Since the technicalities behind ownership are also pretty sketchy considering that only the Devil's Faction would recognise it, with maybe an acknowledgement of activity from the angel's and the Grigori.

Because I was turning sixteen, I was required to "make this journey for the benefit of devilkind", or so everyone in the Phenex Household decided to word it. Ravel was a year younger, so my participation was sort of like a test run. As Kuoh was my hometown, it made sense to make the easiest new start to be where I grew up.

I turned up to school on the first day after the summer break, having taken the entrance exam shortly after the New Year. I passed, thankfully, but it was especially hard to get in due to the academy's recent change from an All-Girl's School to Co-Education meant that almost every boy in the vicinity wanted to try their luck to get in. Not only that, it was an escalator school, so all previous students from the Middle School had to be taken into consideration before any transfers could be met.

When tallying the necessity to include boys into the school by how many classrooms they had, there were only really twelve spots across five classes reserved for the first year of High School reserved, so the pressure was on.

I passed third overall out of those twelve acknowledged male applicants, but only fourth out of twenty in both sexes, but the problems of enlisting didn't end at simply passing;

I was entering the student council's office for this very reason.

"Please, take a seat."

As I was a devil, entering a human school, the current devils presiding over Kuoh as a territory had to officially endorse me. Though the territory had not had ownership since Lady Cleria Belial's death almost eight or nine years before, it was currently being administrated by two underage high-class devils, both of whom where the younger siblings to the Maous Lucifer and Leviathan, which explained how they obtained the right to study in unoccupied territory.

It was more common for devils to study within the existing territory of another high-class devil, but usually this would require owing the presiding warden a couple of favours, so more often or not devils would only participate with family or close acquaintances. Plus, this wasn't a usual occurrence since there weren't too many high-class devils of childhood age to begin with, which was probably why this necessity became a grab of power for the older devils.

As I sat down unto the chair at the centre of the room, I was waiting patiently to be heard from by one of these two residing devils.

Sona Sitri, heiress to the [Prince of Sitri], better known by her human alias, Shitori Souna, the current vice president of the student council. Though she wasn't the one who applied to obtain this territory in the overworld, nor did she have any long term commitments to continue residing here post-graduation, she did legally have the most authority at this school presently. More so than her childhood best friend did.

Short black hair cut to her jawline, and piercing purple eyes behind her faux glasses, she sat in the seat to the right of the student council president's seat rather than in the latter, as she combed her eyes over several pieces of paper.

Because this was an issue between devils, Sona was the once handling the situation "on behalf of the current kaichou". As the current president at this point, Takatsuki Yoruko, was only human, this was not something she should ever need to be dealing with.

I never once really met her during the entirety of my first year at Kuoh, except from occasions where she made public addresses, but from all the times that I could hear the devils of the student council talk about her, she was apparently very weak minded, and easily susceptible to thought suggestion based magic, allowing Sona to essentially run the supernatural affairs behind her back with no problems and no questions asked.

It's quite scary thinking about, when the only thing potentially protecting my own thoughts could have been an act of conduct between devils rather than my own magic resistance, which if I am perfectly honest was pretty low at this time.

As I waited for her to finally speak to me, I subconsciously surveyed the room, noticing three other presences in this room alone besides the heiress and I;

The first, standing right to Sona was the Queen of her peerage, Shinra Tsubaki who served as treasurer. Had it not been for the more obviously oriental regal posture and features, she could have easily passed off as a mirror of Sona's image with her black hair, purple eye and bespectacled face, except of course that her hair reached all the way down to the backs of her knees, and her heterochromia gifted her with a purple left and an amber right eye, but details aside.

Her stern observing face was also very much a carbon copy of her King's as she kept watch over me while her superior continued to fiddle through several important documents that were spread before her.

Standing right behind me, guarding the front entrance with her back to the wall was her Rook, Yura Tsubasa, who was Public Morals Officer, which basically gave her the same authority as the Disciplinary Committee chief, except without an extensive number of subordinates and instead having to rely on whoever the Student Council decides to send as support. The subsequent merger of the role within the council was probably reliant on the prenotion of the school having only previously catered to girls only.

With her blue hair and darker blue eyes on her bishounen face, she was very tomboyish in her looks and style. Rolling up her sleeves didn't quite suit a member of the student council, but it was very fitting on her.

Though, I think she should have been more aware of how high her left knee was in that posture. This is no longer an All-Girls school, and not everyone will simple be as deliberately ignorant to it.

And lastly, seating herself to the desk to my right sorting through other important papers, and Sona's Bishop, First Year Secretary Hanakai Momo, the person who had also welcomed me into the room. Snow white hair and soft azure eyes, and a soft personality to match, acting in her given role was definitely her forte.

I heard a rumour that her hair used to be black, but I never choose to delve any further than a misconcepted hearing into such things. The only thing I remember of it was that it something to do with reversal magic, but was never corrected which based on the very natural result I could hardly blame her.

There was also supposed to be another member of the Student Council present, Meguri Tomoe, Sona's Knight, but she was busy completing business with Takatsuki-kaichou as a way of keeping her occupied till my registration was completed.

After she was finally through looking over the various papers that blanketed her desk in white, she finally put down one pen and handed the documents she no longer required over to her Queen. When she finally lifted her head in my direction, the light fractured over the lens to which her eyes disappeared behind a screen of white.

"Hyoudou Issei, correct?"

Partially started when her apparent inhuman guise caught me by surprise, I had to take in a breather before I could answer her question.

"Yes. That is my name."

"You're fif-, no sixteen, is that correct?"

"Yes."

I nodded again, having regain confidence when her head edged away from the light and her visual direction returned to my sight. I was quite lucky that this year happened to start on my birthday, which meant that I was starting High School at sixteen, so I was feeling most ecstatic when she corrected herself.

Though I will admit that since she said no more, I was a little downtrodden that I didn't even get a 'happy birthday' from her.

"And you have been serving the fourth legal child of the Phenex Household since you were thirteen, yes?"

"No. I was the Pawn of Lady Rozalva Phenex for approximately over a year and a half before I came into Lady Ravel's service. But, after that, yes I was and still am her Pawn from then onward."

She looked back at her papers, before readjusting her glasses and proceeded with the corrections to her information.

"I see, thank you. I guess that also answers my next question to which piece you preside." I didn't wish to make more hassle than necessary, but I think I can interpret that the current vice president would rather have more work with correct information than less work with incorrect ones. "You were originally human, correct?"

I nodded again, pointing to the copy of my birth certificate buried between my school records from my elementary school days.

"Yes. I was human up until my thirteen birthday."

"And you used to live in this town according to these records."

"That is also correct. Until sometime when I was ten years old."

"That reason being?"

Our flurry of quick backward and forward exchanges abruptly halted when she asked that question. I had to take another breather.

"The m- . . . murder of my parents."

It was still hard to say it out loud. I even choked a little whilst trying to pronounce the words. Though it had been around six years now, then residual wounds never healed. I was pretty sure if she looked hard enough, she'd find it among my records out in front of her; a police report of the incident should have been included somewhere, and possibly the legal documents pertaining to my transfer into the state's care per court decision.

There wasn't a large amount of gasps circulating the room, and not just for the fact that including myself there was only four other present.

"My sympathies" she replied in a mannerful tone, but her expression didn't seem to change so I did question if she really put any heart into her sympathies. "Have you ever been back to the human world since your reincarnation?"

"Once. By accident; it was a mishap with my teleportation attempt, and I ended up back in my old home. I ended up getting into a scrape with a stray devil who was residing there in my absence. I was there for no more than an hour though."

I saw no need to withhold any sort of information, even if it was something as potentially threatening to my placement as this. The reason being that she most likely already had some brief note hidden among the layers of sheets that she piled before herself. Maybe I was over thinking this, but the prospect of failure wasn't as unlikely that I couldn't imagine it being possible.

Thankfully, my honesty appeared to pay off. Without further need to question me, I saw Sona signing a document, and then handed the pen to her Queen, who signed it also. Judging from I guessed that the interview had reached its culmination.

Only when the papers were neatened up, stacked and piled up back into my folder before being tidied away did I understand the notion that it had ended on a good note.

"Thank you for your honesty" Sona replied after everything had been put away, briefly taking off her glasses in order to wipe the lenses over with her fingers. "As you know, there are certain privacy allowances afforded to servants of other houses, so I have no legal right to wring out information from you by force or other similar means. But I do expect your full cooperation to the running of this school and by extension this territory whilst you are residing here. Do you have any objections?"

I willingly shook my head in response. I admit that it felt nice that the end of the interview became a conversation after the interrogation. I felt a little more at ease and the answers came out a bit more natural than how I had been communicating with her thus far.

Though, I couldn't help but continue speaking formally.

"None at all, fukukaichou."

"I will not demand that you grant aid to my peerage for hunting strays nor will I ask anything of you that will put you in deliberate danger unless I receive word from your King. So long as you remain a student of Kuoh Academy, I will do everything within my capabilities to ensure your safety as much as I would with any student, human or devil. All I ask is that you cooperate with us as you would with any school authorities and that you comply with the laws set by this education body. Do you find this acceptable?"

"I do, and I will comply with the best of my abilities."

"Thank you, Hyoudou-san. You will be joining Class 1-A as of today, and you are expected to be on your best behaviour both as a devil serving under one of the Seventy-Two Pillars, and also as a _male_ student. Apart from that, on behalf of the student council, welcome to Kuoh Academy, Hyoudou Issei-san."

"Thank you, Shitori-fukukaichou."

I stood and thank the vice-president for her words of compliments with an _ojigi_ (formal bow), before I began to turn my head and leave the room.

"And, Hyoudou-san."

I stopped and turned my head again, but I had no time to reply before Sona added to her intervention;

"If you have the opportunity, I ask that you give your introductions and regards to Rias Gremory before the end of today. Though I may be a member of the student council, I am only sharing responsibilities for this territory on a temporary basis."

I nodded in response, but as soon as I reached the door, she spoke up once again.

"Oh, and could you please return here tomorrow afternoon after school has concluded. Nothing too serious, but I will need to designate an area where you may deliver your contracts out without interfering with the current routes performed by mine and Rias' servants."

I nodded, gave my final bow, before closing the door behind me and leaving the student council room for the first time in my attendance at my new High School.

* * *

After Hyoudou had left the Student Council room, I, **Yura Tsubasa** , watched as Tsubaki pressed the question to Souna.

"Sona-san, I assume you were aware of its presence."

Tsubaki was the only one to address the King of peerage in such a manner due to the fact that the two of them we essentially best friends as well as closest confidants. While I am speaking also for Momo and Tomoe, I can say that the three of us found it easier to continue addressing her by her human alias, Souna, over her real name.

Tsubaki on the other hand, who was brought up in a traditionally rich family found it much easier switching her names around between when we were in public to when we were in private company.

In response to Tsubaki's question, Souna replied with a nod.

"Indeed. Suppression magic."

"Seriously?"

"Are you certain, fukukaichou?"

There was a short delay after both I and Momo made our surprise aware.

She adjusted her glasses again shortly before she spoke. Having known her for a little over a year now, this was her way of delaying her response so that she could process all the information that was flowing through her head. It was a pretty solid habit that she had unfortunately adopted and now can't get rid of as a result of using it on so many occasions.

"It's a sensory-awareness based spell. I wouldn't be able to uncover it so long as I don't know what it is he's hiding."

"Should we keep him under observation?"

The question I then pressed was the logical one; though I knew very little on the details about this arrangement made for Hyoudou to be studying here, but from what information I was asked to memorise, it would seem that these sort of occasions are quite common.

Still, to be hiding something meant that there was always a need for concern. Even when it's your allies that are the hiding from you, which only makes it more suspicious.

However, Souna decided against that call.

"No need. If this is something the current [Marquis of Phenex] has arranged for him, I cannot make any attempts to uncover it deliberately nor without due cause. So long as he complies with the laws of this world, there is to be no actions taken against him. Understood?"

"""Hai!"""

* * *

I, **Hyoudou Issei** , left the Student Council's office and proceeded to tour the corridors of the school. Why? Well because it was empty and I was too early for class.

"Still just under an hour away. *sigh* I really thought it was going to take longer. It certainly felt longer in the reception area."

Though I had arrived here at 7:30 am as asked, I was surprised at how quickly I was only kept in the reception for a quarter of an hour before the interview began. With such an early designated time, I presumed it would have taken longer to schedule in my meeting, or at least they had assumed that it would have lasted longer at least.

Which was why as 7:54 am, I was now exploring the school I would be spending three years studying at. I have no idea what my expectations were, but all I could note about it was how unusually clean it was.

"Well of course it is, this is the new school building after all."

I was almost snickering to myself how stupid I was for thinking it would be any different, considering that even though the school had been around for more than fifty years since it's half centenary anniversary was a couple of years before, and the very discerning fact that there was a reason this building was still labelled as "new" when the old original building still stands to the south east of the grounds.

"Hmm, should I wait in the assembly hall like everyone else, or would finding my classroom beforehand be worth my time?"

It probably looked strange to see someone walking around talking to themselves, but with Ddraig keeping his mouth shut while we were still in the vicinity of two high-class devils as well as somewhere between seven and nine other devils wandering the school, it was just too big of a risk to even attempt it during daylight hours.

Which leads to the bigger question; was I even speaking Japanese, or were all the eyes that occasionally cross paths around me hearing me speak Deftodiz instead? Even now I still don't fully understand how the translation function works without direct conversation.

The dense person I was at only newly sixteen was completely oblivious to the idea that a boy walking around a formerly All-Girl's school would obviously catch the attention of any girls who had been attending here before I.

Or perhaps it was the obvious uncomfortableness I was in whilst wearing the winter uniform around the school, with me constantly trying to adjust my shoulders as the back of my school jacket and shirt, which I ended up having to undo both to allow my arms some maneuverability. It also didn't help that the long sleeves were also getting caught on my upper arms.

It couldn't be helped when there wasn't exactly a wide variety of sizes for the new first year boys in high school, but I wish I didn't have to dress so untidily on my first day, but I couldn't exactly be walking around looking fidgety as I try adjusting my new uniform by pulling it for six hours every day.

It probably would have been better if I had a t-shirt or something underneath, because it felt a little embarrassing to have my shirt unbuttoned almost halfway down my chest.

I wasn't stupidly bulky, nor was I was notably toned before you start getting any unsavoury thoughts; though I definitely could have been worked till my muscles were popping through my skin, that wasn't was equated to strength nor did it provide much aid in defence as you may think, or so Tannin-ojiisama informed me.

Exposed muscle meant it was easier to damage, and too large meant that it was prone to ripping by itself if I overstrained it. In addition, having a thicker layer of skin was better for resisting changes in temperature while also providing even a little cushion between my muscles and the cause of the impact, while not gaining enough that it would hinder my speed or flexibility.

And I'm not saying I can stop myself from combusting if I jumped into a pyre, but I do have a higher tolerance for it, while having a dragon-type sacred gear does provide those kinds of added benefits.

Ok, enough of the self-egotism, moving back along.

I probably wasted a good fifteen to seventeen minutes wandering the halls and corridors before I caught myself at the bottom of the left-hand stairs by the front entrance when I caught the sight of red and black in the corner of my eyes.

Having stopped to examine this familiar sight, it was a nostalgic presences of red hair that swept across the open air like a wave of scarlet. Having only just seen her mother less than four months ago, even from the highpoint of the top window, it was like seeing a reflection of Lady Gremory with lord Gremory's colours.

'Riri?'

And following her tail close behind her, was yet another familiar sight. Not one that I could have pinpointed from a crowd as easily, but there was no mistaking the obvious nadeshiko;

'Akecchi.'

Black hair tied into a ponytail that reached to the back of her heels in two strands when straightened out, and a pair of violet eyes that seemed to prevail among the Five Families of Japan, but that was just a bias based on having noticed the coincidence between the descendants of the Himejima and Shinra clans.

I am not to say that I had been ignoring their more obviously defining . . . *ahem* figures. It is ungentlemanly to make such descriptions without their consent, so I shalt refrain until another time.

In addition, to describe them would cause all manners of

Though I hadn't seen either of them in so many years, the nicknames we exchanged were more naturally responsive in my head. But, there was no way I could say them out loud again after so long of time has passed since then.

Before I said anything, I should have thought thoroughly about that cold look abhorring me from the top of the stairs.

"Gremory-sa-, Gremory-senpai. I just wanted to thank you for allowing me to study in your territory. It's my hometown and I-"

She walked straight passed me.

As I caught one last sight of her long red hair whipping in the open air, part of it even unwillingly slapping my right cheek. I barely had the chance to meet her face again when it was no longer possible to see.

I turned in surprise at how she completely refused to acknowledge me. Even if she didn't recognise me, I wasn't willing to believe that the girl from five years ago would change so much that words unbefitting anyone of moral standards to use would suit how I wished to encompass her.

And I full heartedly supported what I remarked, though chose to keep it to myself.

I flinched when a hand touched my left ear.

"Ufufu, I'm sorry to have startled you like that."

Covering her mouth to conceal her laughter while I jumped and clasped over my ear to protect it from theft, Akec-, Akeno was standing right in front of me now before I had realised it.

I had little to no time to react while trying to wrap my brain around what was happening, as she started to fix up my appearance; dealing from the excess of loosened button on my shirt, but managed to leave the top one undone, and then even fixed my poorly hanging ribbon into such a way that it disguised the unkemptness of the top of my shirt.

The way she was fiddling around with my chest, whether it was necessary or by intentional means that she was reaching around my sides pulling at my shirt to get it to interlock, and then pressing both her hands into my abdomens all the way up to my pectorals as she fixed them one by one. All these actions were just stimuluses to my embarrassment, and to my precognition of maintaining self-composure to these events.

If Ddraig had been allowed to talk, he probably would have made some form of 'helpful' remark to describe this situation.

"I apologies for Buchou's behaviour, but we are in a hurry to make it to our clubroom before the first bell."

It was a poor excuse, but considering she was fixing my appearance as well as attempting to make amends for the way her King acted in front of me, I couldn't very well deny the kindness she was offering me.

"Thank you, Himejima-senpai."

She shifted her head slightly to her side, with a very natural looking smile before walking after her King. But not before she turned around one last time with a polite forming bow to mark her exit.

"I hope to see you around though, Hyoudou-san."

With our reunion at a close, I walked on through the school till the opening ceremony could begin.

* * *

At the Occult Research Clubroom, a few minutes later after our reunion with our new underclassman, I, **Himejima Akeno** , attempted to soften out my best friend.

Though I had known Rias for a very long time, there were times where even I could not even guess what was plaguing her to the point that she seemed unresponsive. This wasn't one of those times however.

It was clear as day was troubling our club president this early morning when a new devil happened to show up bearing the circle of the Phenex clan on his left hand. Had it been another family's symbol, I don't think she would have acted with such obvious rudeness. But, that was to be expected when she saw it.

As such, I felt it only right that I tried to drown the flames before they could ignite, so to speak.

"Don't think you were being a little cold to our new kouhai?"

". . ."

The silent treatment. Rias' way of saying she refused to talk about something. Definitely a much more sensible option when compared to letting her emotions engulf her, but bottling her negative feelings wasn't exactly an ideal option either.

Should she blow-up from something more minor, then it would only cause more problems. As her Queen, it was my duty to make sure that didn't happen. As her best friend, it was my responsibility to make sure she gets everything off her chest, no matter how large.

"Do you not remember him? Only Ise-kun has a small scar on his ear like that."

When I first saw him, I just had to verify it for myself. There was no mistaken the obviously small bit mark that lined his upper part of his ear from all those years ago.

It was quite a surprise seeing him again, only to then get the surprise that he was a peerage member to the House of Phenex. Though we both should have realised it sooner when we met years ago that he was probably under the same conditions as I; was conditioning him in order to allow him to naturally transition into a future peerage member.

No, maybe I'm putting it into words a little too cruelly. Then again, the sound of it does sound like something I wouldn't mind being subjected to if they decided to do it the cruel way.

Or perhaps even initiating should the opportunity present itself. Ara-ara, Ufufu.

". . ."

She still refused to talk about this, but she couldn't keep persisting like this even as she started her preparations for entering the new shower she had installed into this room.

"It's because he's a servant to the House of Phenex isn'-"

"You should be getting to class soon, Koneko. It would be improper for any of my servants to be late on their first days of the term."

Instead of responding to my questioning, Rias instead chose to ignore me completely. Rather than continue to delay her unresponsiveness, she pushed her attention towards our youngest member Koneko in order to relive herself of the pressures of bottling her.

Though if I am to correct myself, Gasper was in fact our youngest member by nearly four months, but our poor underclassman had to stay in solitary confinement in the room down the hall for his own sake.

Koneko, who had been sitting in her seat on the left far side, closest to Rias' desk, and eating her early morning snacks before class. At Rias' instructions, she began to pack away her treats for the day into her bag.

"Hai, Buchou."

Koneko straightened her uniform out, and brushed the crumbs off her middle-school sailor's uniform. It wouldn't look good for the representative of the middle-school to have food over the front of her. It would only serve to encourage the boys who already want to eat her up, ufufu.

Though I'm glad Rias didn't decide to snap at our kouhai and comrade from the middle-school division, but she was still avoiding the issue.

"Rias, we-"

"Akeno, please. We'll discuss this no more, understood."

Her tone wasn't stern, but I could feel no positive note in any of her words. Even if I was supposed to be her best friend and persist, I ultimately chose my duty to her as her Queen and obeyed her order.

"As you wish, Rias."

". . . Oh! Koneko."

"Yes, Buchou?"

"I'll need you to keep an eye on our new arrival after school for this week. I'll tell Kiba to do the same for school hours when he returns here for lunch."

"Hai, Buchou."

When Koneko had left the room, Rias had finally removed the last of her clothing and entered the shower room to the back. I had taken precautions beforehand; closing the curtains and locking the windows in the main clubroom, prepared her spare uniform just outside the shower, and was finishing collecting the uniform she had left in a trail from halfway through the room to her destination.

"That seems a little excessive, don't you?"

But to no avail did I receive anything remotely similar to a reply from her, which finally forced me to give up on my venture that day.

"I'll be seeing Sona about this after school, so continue with your contracts as normal and hand in the tomorrow morning."

"Very well, Rias. I'll take my leave now."

I placed her clothes in the hamper by the door, and proceeded to leave the room. Hopefully, with no one in the room, she won't get peeked on by some wandering boy looking around the old school building instead of attending the opening ceremony.

Ufufu, wouldn't that have been situation worth discussing.

* * *

兵藤 一誠

"I'm Hyoudou Issei. I've lived abroad for about six years so my Japanese may be a bit rusty. I hope we get along."

片瀬 優子

"Hello. I'm Katase Yuuko. Let's do well together."

木場 祐斗

"Good morning to you all. My name is Kiba Yuuto. I'll be in your care, and I hope we all have a splendid year."

桜山 大樹

"Sakuyama Daiki. That's all."

For the new Class 1-A in the co-ed Kuoh Academy, it was probably quite the surprise when three boys ended up transferring in, including myself, **Hyoudou Issei.**

After the opening ceremony, in which we heard the speech of address by the Student Council president, Takatsuki-kaichou, who gave in the usual words of encouragement to the first years, continued pursuance from the second years, and a final hurdle overcoming towards the third years. I didn't catch too many of her words however, because I kept feeling this strange gaze looking at me, but I wasn't even sure it was a single one. Multiple in many directions maybe, but it seemed to collect together like magnet and focus in one place: unto me.

As new transfers to the school, it was by tradition that we introduce ourselves in front of the class by writing our names and making a small statement that basically summarized what we hoped to achieve from our new application to this school;

I, who went first by occidental alphabetical order, just wanted a decent school life, but also acknowledged that I had been away for a little too long and was going to need to adjust. I didn't look like the type of guy who needed help, but my friendly and slight show of vulnerability was good in keeping my presence away from looking hostile.

Katase, who was already being scouted by the kendo club, didn't need to make much of a speech since her place was already being secured. Plus, she had the added bonus of being the only girl to transfer into this class, so she would naturally be easier to approach than the other three boys standing next to her. Matching peach blossom hair and eyes was also very comforting to the classroom, almost soothing also despite her more energetic introduction.

Kiba, with his sandy blonde hair, cool grey eyes with a distinctive mole that emulated into a beauty mark beneath his left eye, was already setting himself up as the prince among the first years, not that I was looking to take his shoes.

And finally, Sakuyama however seemed so disinterested in school that he spoke only his name and proceeded to sit down. Dark hair that looked navy in the light but was closer to midnight black, and eyes with a green hue that was like a pair of daggers to anyone he looked directly at, he was definitely setting himself up to be avoided, most likely by his own design. But I would never know his reasons until a few weeks after summer had ended, but I won't say anything else.

After our introductions, Miss Okayama, our homeroom teacher allowed us to choose our seats out of the fourth row. I ended up choosing the third column from the door seat, and so homeroom began.

As we all started getting swarmed with questions at our desks by questions, some more than others, while others not at all. I don't particularly remember what was being asked despite how very little came to welcome me unlike both Kiba and Katase, but that was to be expected from a class that was outnumber by girls by nearly 7:1.

It was not worth mentioning, so I will just omit the majority of homeroom. I ended getting so caught up on my own thoughts that time was unconsciously passing by me without I noticing.

I had a lot to placate into my mind; there was what I might do in school. What club could I possibly join? I couldn't do a lot of physical sports without my obvious stronger devil physiology being a problem in containing which would not bode well if I end up getting competitive. I wasn't too much of a creative person so I wasn't looking for any clubs that involved crafts, which left me pretty much without luck on that front.

I then continued to ponder more things, until I was subconsciously struck by a hand grasping my shoulder and the sound of my name.

"Hyoudou-san?"

"Here . . . huh?"

I was awoken from my thoughts my the call of my name, which came as quite a shock to my psyche how was only aware I was still in class, and instinctively assumed my name was being called for registration. It was not however.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you from whichever place you were visiting."

I looked over to my left, where Kiba was seating, finally processing that it was him who was trying to incite a conversation between the two of us. All the girls that had swarmed him initially had returned to their desks, but many of their visions had never allowed him to escape.

I blinked a couple of times, even wiped my bottom lip in case I really had been sleeping, but I found no drool of which to clear away.

I regained my composure to the sight of his openly welcoming smile. A better contrast to the neutral greeting I received from Sona, and especially the dark cast Rias Gremory shook from me.

"It's ok. It . . . wasn't that important."

"Well, I just wanted to say I hope we can get along, Hyoudou-san."

I was shocked to see him extend his hand over to me, only to stop halfway between the distances of our desks. It wasn't his open gesture, but because his left hand bore the brand of the House of Gremory. It wasn't a physical symbol, not it was an implanted one, made by the Evil Piece's system, but it wasn't always visible to the naked eye.

I too had the same symbol, but currently it was that of the House of Phenex, shining the same gold as all their other magic circles. I remembered when I first saw it, appearing a few days after I had become a devil, but it was blue for the House of Andrealphus when I first received it. Instead of the phoenix soaring as it is now, it was three eyes with a laurel hanging over the middle.

As I was wary of the Gremory's after receiving the harsh end of the cold shoulder by his King, I was hesitant that I should be accepting it. I numbered a few reason in my head why this wasn't a good idea, even when it wasn't mine;

The biggest options, were obviously the worse ones also. That being he was either unaware that there was supposed to be some hostility between us, or he was aware of who I was beforehand and was acting under orders. Neither option particularly settled well with my conscience.

But looking again at his friendlier demeanour, and also by how unhostile Akeno had been even after all these years apart, I braved passed the mental barrier and accepted his handshake of camaraderie hallway.

"Issei is fine. Besides, we're both boys, there's no need to be so formal since we've naturally got to stick together."

Despite the fact that he could see my brand now, he didn't deter from his earlier actions, which comforted my spirit slightly. I didn't know how long this would last, but I was going to appreciate how much time I had.

"I couldn't have said it better, Issei-san. Then, feel free to call me Yuuto if it pleases."

"Very well, Yuuto-san. Let's have a good High School life, starting today."

I could have done without the sudden whispers that started whipping up after our hands grasped each other and our names lost formalities, but I started thinking that this school year wasn't looking too bad after all.

. . . Although, I turned my head when I felt the presence of a flash in the corner of my eyes, only to see nothing was there.

* * *

In the Student Council's office after school had finished, there was an intense argument going on between the two devil heiresses, while I, **Yura Tsubasa** , like the rest of Souna's peerage were waiting outside of the room.

"Here's clearly here to keep an eye on me, Sona."

"There is no evidence to suggest such a thing, Rias. The probability of such a move is below 2%, which in my book makes it an improbable reason."

The reason for this was obvious: Hyoudou Issei. It wasn't that he had done anything wrong or outside of his position as far as either Tomoe, Momo, Tsubaki nor I were aware of at the very least. But from the distressing tone of the Occult Research club president, it was obvious that she at her wits end with his presence being so close in proximity.

The absence of Himejima was the real reason Souna had decided that we needed to leave to room, not that I didn't blame her for anticipating something like this may be necessary.

"But not impossible. You said it yourself."

"2% has less meaning when you weigh up the facts; he was born here, he lived here, and since this territory is not under any legal ownership there are no favours to be had under the table."

As always, Souna was very acute to the mark. Though there was every reason to suspect that Hyoudou could have been a spy, the evidence to support it wasn't sufficient enough to counter the more sensible argument that. It was the more human reason in all irony.

The only thing that appeared painfully shady was whatever he was deliberately hiding from us. But even that had been dismissed by Souna, so we could do no more on the subject until her opinion changes.

"You also have to weigh your public image into account, Rias; you have four servants thus far, with one under strict house arrest, and two who avoid utilising their full potential. Why under earth would they go through the trouble of sending a spy who at best can only legally observer you for six hours every day? And, if so, what good would it do for them to observe you when it's very unlikely you will have the chance to defeat Riser at your current strength?"

". . ."

It was all logical, the only way that our King and the vice-president liked to function when it came to important matters such as these. Lady Rias' response was also evidence to support that she knew that Souna was right.

"*sigh* I don't know what you want me to say, Rias; as long as he breaks no school rules or devil laws, he has no qualms with myself nor my peerage. He's here because he wants to learn, and he has legal permission to do so long as he remains a student of this academy."

"No one asked for my permission."

"We're both still underage, so it's not a surprise that our parents would make such arrangements behind our back. In case you haven't noticed, we're are still under watch, and the strongest of strays are always taken care of without either of our interventions. It shouldn't be too hard to decipher that we're not a free as you had hoped coming here would allow us. We got lucky when our elder siblings allowed us to share ownership of this territory for twelve hours each despite being underage."

"So that's it, is it? You will do nothing on this matter."

"There is nothing that can be done that you want done. I am however going to do what is required of me, both as sub-owner of this territory and as student vice president, which is to ensure that unless he violates any given rules that his educational and security needs are met the same with everyone."

She went on to say: "It's not that I don't feel for your situation, but do you really think that the House of Phenex would go so far just because you intend to contest to your engagement? No matter whether it is true or not is to be seen, but it means that someone is scared of losing this match."

"Of course I'm scared. I'm terrified even. My entire future rests on one game. One game, and if I lose, I lose everything; my life here, my dreams for the future, my freedom to do so many things.

"You forget that I am in the same boat as you."

"But you never make a move unless you're certain you can win. If Connerbythe Stolas can beat you at chess, that will be the day Armageddon starts."

As the two diverted their conversation from the matter of a single devil to the prospects of the two of them defusing their own engagements, each now substituting their fears for laughter, the same couldn't be said for us who were still waiting outside the door.

"Have you detected the other anomalies entering our school this years?"

"I can only see two thus far; both from our mythos alignment; one displays evidence of having connections to the church."

"Always a problem, isn't Tsubasa?"

"It is, Tomoe. The second?"

"The second, I cannot say for certain, but I an uncomfortable presence from him."

"So, you suspect ties with the Grigori, or some other fallen angel sect, Tsubaki?"

"I'm unsure. It feels evil, but not demonic like us. I'm afraid that's all I can be sure of."

* * *

"{Summoning: Karuka!}"

When I returned home that evening, after I went to do a little bit of shopping for a quick meal before I finished my work for the day, I, **Hyoudou Issei** , decided to introduce my familiar to my new side home in the human world.

Karuka, my cockatrice familiar was about the size of an adult cockerel now, but he was still years from maturing. And unlike a chicken, he actually had enough intelligence and personality to show that he knew who I was the moment I summoned him into my apartment.

Yes, I did say it was an apartment.

It wasn't that my old home couldn't have been repaired in all this time I had been away. It was on the contrary; I didn't want it to be repaired.

I know it sounds weird, but it was part of mental commitment to this new life I was in. It was the one I made that day when I had a part in destroying what had once been my home. The moment I walked away from it was when I had turned my back to my old human life and fully embarrassed the new devil one I had been entrusted.

My old home was kept in its ruined state, but it had not been sold off and demolished by any new owners. For whatever reason they had, Lord and Lady Phenex never did anything else to the sight after I had asked they not repair it.

Of course all the stuff that had been inside were removed, fixed and placed back into storage, but the skeleton of my old home was still there. Broken walls and smashed windows. It was no longer an able house for strays though since it was still quite visible from the streets which made it terrible to use for hiding in.

Although I did walk away from it, I did revisit the site this very evening before coming home, to lay flowers at the doorstep. Not for my parents. No, I laid their flowers on the family grave near the shrine at the north side of the town back on the date of their demise. I even cleaned it up after six years of apparent neglect till it was spotless since the day it had been first purchased. The flowers for the house were for my human life, which I was going to do every year on my birthday for the duration of my semi-permanent residence in this town.

Without a home to live in, I was arranged to rent an apartment in the east side where the new developments were underway. It wasn't cheap to live here, but since I was sponsored by the Marq of Phenex, my expenses were automatically covered as part of my employment scheme, or something along those lines.

As strange as it sounds, I am given a wage for my employment despite how uncommon it was to pay peerage members. Although, it could be there way of saying that I have been granted an allowance without making it sound like I was being treated like a child.

"Have you been productive today?"

As I asked the dragon bird my question, stroking him in the ruffles of soft feathers below his neck, he made an appreciative sound of approval that as a mix between a coo from a bird and the deflating hiss of a crocodile which meant he felt relaxed.

Believe me when I say it's not easy writing down the kinds of sounds my chimeric pet makes.

"I guess not. I don't exactly know where you go between spell sequences. But, I'm happy knowing you don't hate me still for leaving you there."

I picked up my little chicken sized familiar and placed him on the worktop in the kitchen that split the entrance room between the kitchen and the lounge. His claws were a worry if they started scratching the surface, but I was sure that they weren't sharp enough yet to leave anything too deep if he did sink them in. I then proceeded to move the carrier bags unto the island so that my pet wouldn't start helping himself by ripping into them like some scavenger.

As I started taking out the fruit and bread, I informed Karuka of his new job description as I went to dig out the meat.

"Tomorrow, you get to have your first job for me. I don't know how many, but I hope you can handle the work."

"*Kyurrack!*"

"I'll take that as a yes."

As I continued emptying both bags, I finally found what I was looking for. I specially went down the fish mongers in the south part of town by the quay for this special treat for my favourite little familiar.

"Hope you like seabass."

"Kooah! Kssh-Kssh-Kssh-Kuwark!"

I presumed it was a definitive yes, and by his obvious eyeing towards the freshly raw fish in my hands he was edging to snap it from my fingers.

\- Think of me when you look at it. Ok, Ise? -

I kept my promise to Lily also. Even when I don't know where she has gone today, I haven't forgotten even after all this time since then.

'[You have seriously got to get more friends, Partner. Talking to that chicken all day is going to get you nowhere.]'

'Are you jealous that he gets fish from the market and you don't?'

'[No comments.]'

I sighed internally. It wasn't a secret that Ddraig was getting a little sick of being kept in this state of permanent isolation longer than necessary, but with two devils that could possibly detect his presence less than seven miles away, we just couldn't.

'I would if I could, but summoning you here is too risky. Even if for a second either of them catch whiff of a dragon, our cover is exposed.'

Ddraig said no more after that. We actually discovered that his jewel on my hand actually opened up, and by inserting items into it he could in fact replicate a sensation similar to tasting so he had some way of expressing a way of eating despite having no such need for sustenance.

Where it all went after he's "eaten" it was a mystery even to me.

Having finished handing the last of the smaller portions of raw fish to Karuka, I let him go wander the rooms while I fixed up my evening meal.

'Grilled fish, and some rice. Did I pick up any soy sauce? I'll do without if that's the case.'

I flickered through cupboards as I searched for plates, cutlery, saucepans and what not. Having only just moved in, everything had been set up beforehand, so I was having a little difficulty finding where everything was.

Much to my surprise, once I found the draw containing the silverware, everything seemed to naturally revolve around that one place and the next succession of searches brought up every other necessity one would be looking for in the kitchen.

If I start to sound like an old woman, than I sincerely apologise.

On the downside to having access to such a large variety to cooking utensils, was the underlining fact that I had only the most basic of cooking skills with only more complex dishes coming with pre-served instructions after being pulled out of the fridge or the freezer.

It may seem poor that a servant who is currently living alone to not be able to cook better, however one must remember that I was spending the majority of my time since reincarnation learning the skills needed in order to initiate fitness, magic, utilising my sacred gear, and other skills necessary for my position.

Becoming a master chef like many light novel protagonists and/or their primary love interests had never been a part of the agenda. Although, I would actually like to increase my skill in this department eventually. I don't think I'll be able to live on fish and rice every day for the next three years.

And I would need to get some soy sauce next time I go shopping. It's strange to say it without sounding like I'm falling under a prearranged stereotype, but it really does make plain foods taste great.

As I was prepping myself to start cooking, Karuka returned to the kitchen from my bedroom, but he was also bringing something with him.

Scruffed between his beaks was a small tab of brown paper. It was no larger than his head, but it was still significantly small by comparison to a letter or an envelope.

Having had to play a short game of tug-of-war with my familiar before I needed to order him to let go, I plucked the paper from him and brought it to my face.

Upon closer examination, it was more than just brown paper, but it was package paper wrapped tightly with string. Flipping it over from the back was a wax seal that kept the string firmly fixed unto the paper. An orange wax, with the devil letters for "R.P." pressed into the now solid substance. As every wax colour was a unique creation that was assorted to every devil family, this particular colour and the ending initial on the seal could only belong to the Phenex clan.

Unfortunately, with so many of the Phenex clan bearing the first name initial "R", it became a guessing game as to whom this gift was sent from; By short deduction, both Lady Rozalva and Lord Ruval were omitted due to their differences. Lady Rozalva's seal bore a third initial "A" sitting between the "R" and "P" to signify her maiden name "Andrealphus". And Ruval, while having made no change to his seal also attached a ribbon of black and silver, with red outlining as a symbol of his ascension to the Ultimate League.

Guessing the sender from the only viable candidates left would be better served by just opening the letter than further delaying it.

Inside the brown paper was a another sheet of paper, smaller than what you would expect from a postcard, but it was the right size and length to wrap around the true gift beneath the sheet. Though I was anxious to uncover my gift, I took great care in freeing it from the paper and finding the message left for me inside.

 _Father found a gifted magician who was more than pleased with his own work, and was willing to craft this as a side project. It should also work better than the seal you've been accustomed to until now._

 _Use it well & Happy Birthday, Issei._

 _\- Ravel_

Reading upon the paper, I couldn't help but stain the paper once by an unconsciously fallen tear that fell off my smiling face. As always, she never forgot my birthday. Even after being separated by the mantle between the surface and the Underworld, she was still able to send me a birthday present.

Beneath the paper was the gift she had sent to me; tied to a string of golden threads was an _omamori_ (good luck amulet) of black and silver; the black was the predominant colour for the base, with the silver forming embroided flowers and a border that marked the edge of the boundaries.

And also, written in golden coloured ink with a layer of varnish layered across it to prevent the calligraphy from eroding away. It wasn't the Azaberkna as I had expected to see, but it was a combination of Japanese Kanji and Hiragana made into three simple words;

 **常** **と** **永**

"Always, and Forever."

The use of characters was a little crude in order to allow room on the limited amount of space available that it might as well have said 'Endless and Eternity", but the thought that was imbued into this was what I truly treasured.

I took this most precious of gifts and immediately placed it around my neck. I heard a quick shatter when the binding spell placed on me since years before finally broke, but I felt no more uneased by the results as the amulet now hung around me emulated a smaller magic signature that simulated the same magic.

I gripped it in my palm once more to confirm that this was the real thing and not something I was figmenting with my thoughts before I let to fall and swing against my chest.

I folded the paper up and placed it in my trousers rather than throw it away, then I had to stop and think about what I should do next, having gotten my thoughts a little muddled while I returned to what I was doing later.

'That's right. I was making dinner.'

I recalled my earlier actions, but before I could start it, I realised that my familiar was now starting to get restless having been ignored for a few minutes without his permission and was now looking to get an extra helping of my dinner to himself if he could learn to fly a little sooner.

"Sorry, but it's time to sleep, Karuka."

I bid my familiar a good night before sending him off back into the nether where he permanently resides once more. I felt bad having to send him away each time, but the apartment complex I was staying in was a strict "no pets" kind of place and keeping him out as often as I did would eventually warrant attention when they hear some sort of bird squawking and hissing in my room.

I started getting the rice into a saucepan full of water and onto the boiling rings above the oven, whilst preheating the grill for the fish, but it would take a little while.

"I think I have a little time to quickly change before dinner is ready."

As I began to undress myself of my school uniform, I was interrupted midst removing my trousers when a navy coloured magic circle erupted next to my left ear.

"Maybe not then."

* * *

In a small homemade chapel in the basement of a house, I, **one who serves the Lord God** , met with the local priest assigned to this town with my startling discovery.

"A new devil, you say?"

"Yes. I took the picture myself for authenticity. Its seal was present on its left hand."

As part of my cover, I had infiltrated Kuoh Academy during the New Year via transferring into the high school division. Though I had been active since January, I was not permitted unto the school grounds where the two major devil clans had gathered together.

I was lucky enough to get admitted into class 1-E despite my low aptitude for Japanese which took months of drilling before I even had the grip on this language. The worst of it is that the boys who transferred in are complete sickeningly lewd and proud of it.

When someone knocks their blocks off, the better it will be for all of human kind. I was wavering between whether they were worse creatures than devils.

The church we were supposed to reoccupy however had started to gather a few bad companies before I became aware of such transgression upon our Lord's grounds. Not the devils mind you. Those who have strayed the path of righteousness, the fallen ones have taken it into their possession before we could make a move.

So now instead, we hold our private meetings in this small homemade chapel in the basement of the good Father's home. Though I must say that the sheer lack of devotion in this town is deplorable.

"Interesting is it not?"

"I am more concerned about this, Father; we know that the devils Gremory and Sitri claim this territory, but neither of their seals match to this one's. It isn't even the same colour as either of them."

I happened to walk past class 1-A on my way to snapping pictures of all the devils in the school; I avoided the second years since not only their magic would have caught onto what I was doing, but I didn't need to grab the photos of the four known on school grounds as "The Great Onee-samas". Even if I must purchase such pictures from unsavoury sources, it is God's work and it shall be forgiven.

Class 1-A had become unlawfully annexed by three devils, all of different varieties; the first was female in shape with white hair sitting second row, three columns from the door. She bore the blue necklace symbol associated with Sitri. The second was male with light sand hair and a mole under his left eye. He bore the red rose of Gremory, and was also seated fourth row and second column, right next to the third devil to his right, and that was where I was stunned.

Brown hair and amber eyes, male also but taller and larger in form. Detecting couldn't pick up anything by looking at him, but he seemed to naturally emit power of some kind. And on his hand was neither blue nor red, but yellow. A yellow circle with a bird rotating upon it.

If it hadn't been for church technology, those symbols may have been missed by the naked eye. But this camera has seen through their demonic disguises with God's will.

Having displayed these to the Father, he analysed the one I specifically picked out for him to see. With his greater experience in studying the necessary parts of the occult he required for his job, I knew that out of the three of us in this town, he would be the one to know which heathen this symbol belonged to.

"I know this; this neither the crimson of Gremory, nor the cobalt of Sitri. This is the gold of Phenex."

A third devil? Well, of course I knew it had to be, but knowing that it happened to be a third devil of strength it only meant that our work here may become that more challenging. Truly, I believed that God was setting more trials for my mission here.

"Phenex? But why would a new devil suddenly appear, and a servant at that without its master? It's beyond logic for these heathens."

"That I cannot verify, but this is not uncommon for devils in education to seek the protection of others when entering our world. And they are not heathens. Remember, my child, even a heathen believes in the divine presence of God, no matter how wrong their vision may have been clouded. But these are demons, creatures that openly reject the blessing of God and scorn his ideas, only to twist them, defile them. Blasphemers is too kind a word for them, for they know exactly what they do. Do you understand?"

"I do, Father. Forgive my ignorance."

"But you also know why we mustn't act out irrationally as they would want us to?"

I couldn't hear the logic in the Father's logic until I had already lashed out at him for his supposed lack of faith.

"You expect us to believe that they will uphold a treaty that only serves to benefit themselves? As we speak, they continue to recruit lost souls into their ranks. They claim that whole settlements, villages, towns, cities are there's and that they have full authority to reign over the populace as kings without showing their true identities to them."

The way he was talking, he made it sound like devils were just as capable of keeping their words like humans, but I never had delved too deep enough to realise just how wrong I was.

"While they may be the incarnations of evil, it cannot be we, the Church, who decide to break the treaty unless God himself permitted we do so. In any case, we have nothing to fear on their part; while not prone to righteous acts, they are loyal to their contracts and are very thorough in maintaining them so long as it is in their benefit. War is not in their benefit, even now after they choose to adapt rather than stay stuck in their old ways. They will not break the treaty you can be assured of that on their part."

"But they have already, and you make excuses for them. Just last week we had to hunt one down that was stalking the woods, brutally mutilating bystanders I might add."

"Merely the strays and rebels who cannot even be considered civil enough to be devils. It's rather amusing that there are even more horrid beings out there worse than demons, don't you think so?"

"You seem to exercise such protective measures towards these demons, do you not, Father?"

I was then foolish enough to think that I had the right to draw my sword against the Father. As the beam of light erupted from the hilt, I callously defiled even this place by pointing it at him. Even if it makeshift it was still the Lord's place and I should have had more respect for it.

I overstepped my bounds, and I was taught the lesson I needed when the Father easily disarmed my weapon with a chop into the underside of my right elbow, which made me drop my sword at his feet before I could recover my grip. He didn't make any further moved when I also realised that he was no longer in front of me. But behind.

"I am merely expressing my wisdom that I have accumulated over the course of many years and previous encounters."

I turned around to find him leaving his back deliberately exposed, but he made no attempts to defend it. I never moved once he started speaking further.

"I do not abide by their culture nor by their nature, but knowing thyself and knowing thy enemy equates to a thousand victories in a thousand battles. Even great heathen writers knew the basics of that. Even if their faith was misplaced, it doesn't mean that one cannot learn from them in order to strengthen yourself."

Realising my own folly, I fell to my knees in disgrace.

"I-I . . . I didn't think that far ahead. Forgive my trespasses, Father."

I kept my head low, as his footsteps started moving. But instead of the hard justified retribution he deserved, he simply lowered his hand on top of my head for a second before removing it again. I looked up in confusing, but he had already walked past me again and taken up my weapon, unignited, in his hands.

I stood up, as he handed me back my light sword. Even as I looked into his face, it only became that much more apparent that I hadn't seen his expression move one inch since we talked. He had still been smiling all this time between my cooperation and my brief attempt of defiance of ignorance.

"I already have. It's not like I cannot forgive a fellow lover of God for simply expressing her devotion to our cause. Especially when it is the [Christibefürworten] who asks for such. Now, we need to discuss the possibilities of attack, even from our small outpost here in the Far-East. I received word from our Danish branch, and from the Latvian Orthodox Church that two top-ranked exorcists have turned rogue. Both with unknown locations. Though an attack against us is small, the chance is never zero when criminals are concerned."

"Identities?"

"Ooh, this isn't what you want to hear, but the one from our Latvian branch is [Chaos Edge Sieg]."

"The Demon Sword wielder?"

I had heard of him, the descendant of the heathen Siegfried of whom he shares his name. I never agreed with his affinity towards demon swords despite his church's branch allowing such blatant acts against God under their roof. I believed that they deserve their fate, but I was far from realising how much worse this situation was one the second was identified.

"The same, but he's the mook in this line up when the one who betrayed and killed quite a few of the Danes was [Wildfire Freed]. One of those guys with a bite that match his bark."

* * *

 _A new school year starts_

 _in a new home and new life,_

 _but the same old town._

 _With allies so few_

 _and enemies a plenty,_

 _just what awaits me._

 _Before the games and_

 _duel of the fates, I will see_

 _what's put aside for me._

* * *

 **Omake IX: Collaboration Expectations**

 **Rose:** (crying whilst huddled up into a ball) *sniff* I didn't ask to get taken to this place, and yet even here I have no discernible purpose. *sniff* It wasn't bad enough that I didn't get any plot development since becoming a devil until nine volumes later. An- *sniff* And I'm still considered a minor character.

 **Alek:** (having finally caught up) *gasp*gasp*gasp* Finally! (falls face first)

 **Rose:** (turning around) I've been waiting here since Day Seven, but now it's twelve days later. Where were you for  five days?

 **Alek:** To be fair, Xenovia did hint that it would take twelve days. (pauses before he counts his fingers) _Oh wait. It's thirteen days now._ (shrugs his shoulders) _Still not two weeks though._

 **Rose:** (questioning him) How would you know? You were long gone chasing after me when she said that.

 **Alek:** (outstretches his hands) This is  my Universe. I am God here, so I know everything that happens. (coughing) _E_ _xcept for Banoffe Pie bombs._ (confused) Wait. I know that I know, but how do you know?

 **Rose:** (shrugs her shoulders) Anime logic.

 **Alek:** (internally cursing) _Damn this universe and its anime logic_ (sighing) Ok, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for your treatment.

 **Rose:** It's not just that. This is late coming and yet you didn't even explain why it was taking so long when it doesn't even compare to the last one.

 **Alek:** (pressing his hands together) Sorry, but University started again, and then my car broke so I had to get a bus, and (rubs his temples) the early mornings were a bitch. It was also a waste for the first week since we did nothing at all.

 **Rose:** (renewed determination) As a teacher, I favour learning over pointless comedy so; (points her finger at Alek) As a true apology, I want you to study for University! Stop this writing and buckle down this instant!

 **Alek:** (sweatdrop) _All that build up for a lesson._ (crosses his arms) I refuse!

 **Rose:** What?

 **Alek:** (looking upwards) I have created something that many people have come from across the globe to one site just to read it chapter by chapter. They write to me, complain to me, and even offer plenty of gifts to me . . . _thanks by the way._ (continuing) But, I will never give up on this. I have promised I wouldn't stop until I have reached a good point to conclude this, and I shall prevail. I keep my promises, even when the road ahead is hard and treacherous. So what if University will set me bac for a few weeks, I will give them a new chapter when I can. I will write it on the beaches. I will write it in the hills. But I will never surrender!

 **Rose:** (confused) Did you just ripoff Churchill?

 **Alek:** (nodding his head) Oh yes. (coughs) Ok enough with the puns and innuendos. Let's get to the reviews.

 **Rose:** (panicking) Um-m-m-, ok (reads he first review) **User:RuinHuntr** asks " _What's with_ _all the flashbacks?"_ (confused) Didn't he read that it was a compliation fo short stories in the opening paragraph after the disclaimer?

 **Alek:** (shaking his head) I don't think he did. (picking up the next review) Moving along then: **U** **ser:ferodile** says he is also a fan of Xenovia. (beats his heart) I respect that deeply. You are now my blood brother for life. Help you out, kill a man, bury a man, I'll aid you in anything you ask.

 **Rose:** (visible shocked) That's a little too far don't you think?

 **Alek:** (closing his eyes) The Waifu Wars are a dangerous battleground for all anime fans, young Rossweisse. We stand united with our brethren or we die like trampled flowers. It matters not that we were born apart, for one those day we fight as one!

 **Rose:** (sweat dropping again) S-sorry I asked. (reads the next review) **User:AcclainingTR** is saying you gave **User:The-Dragon-Lord** credit for his review last omake.

 **Alek:** (holding two fingers up) First, I hear he likes to be known as **User:Dr4cul** now. (lowers one finger) Second, it was Ravel who made the mistake, since I wasn't even there to read out the reviews.

 **Rose:** I'll tell her you said that.

 **Alek:** (remembering the Great Fire of the Third Omake) P-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pleas don't. I had enough trouble repainting this place after she burnt it down to the ground once before. We even had to replace our cat because of her. (coughing and continuing) **User:WolfeArisen** wants to remind me about the name of Dovahzul, despite the fact I addressed the name issue back in Omake III. Thank you for your consideration, but I did already go over this, plus my translator is called which was why I was inclined to call it as such.

 **Rose:** (taking the next review and smiling as she puts it to her chest) Thank you **User:Dr4cul** , this means a lot to hear you say that about me.

 **Alek:** (takes the next questions) I'll see about Koneko in the furture once I sort out the ones who are already here. Also if you want a nice song, then here: watch?v=aGxeZdYgLKw. It's "Everytime We Touch" by Cascada in Nightcore. I'm not lying when I say that it makes me cry listening to it in the nice sort of way. (reading the review from **User:IonicArchitect** ) How did you know that!?

 **Rose:** What?

 **Alek:** (skipping the subject) Nothing. (picking the next one.) **User:Muzaka** writes " _The Phenex Clan has meta-level regeneration as long as they have enough demonic power, their soul doesn't take damage (which drastically weaken their spiritual power and this lower their demonic power: ex: holy weapon), or if their ability is negated so the state of their physical body isn't that important. Their regeneration is borderline a form of immortality in battle, but by fighting, they can use their stamina and decrease their demonic power by attacking so they can still be beaten normally. Of course, Gasper can negate Phenex regeneration, but you make it sounds like their regeneration is weaker than canon so I just rectify that!_ "

 **Rose:** (flicking through the notes) Does he ever mention that you can't regenerate if you are fatally struck?

 **Alek:** He does not. I understand what he is trying to convey, but he seems to be getting his sources from some place I have no access to. From what i have read from the translation, I haven't seen such intricate detail as this so i cannot accept this as fact unfortunately, so sorry. All that is verifiable is that it is an advanced healing factor that only the Phenex clan possess, but to the extent of its ability has never been tested so I simply went with the assumption that being struck fatally would not be fixable if it kills them.

 **Rose:** (continuing onward) Umm, **User:bk42bk42** sends us . . . (reads the letter closer) . . . a box of infinite cookies-

 **Alek:** (snatches the box) Gimme! (starts devouring them)

 **Rose:** (continuing) . . . that are healthy for you.

 **Alek:** (stops eating) . . . (spitting them out and cleaning his mouth out) Arrrgh! Why would you do this to me? I hate dried fruit! I don't eat cookies because they're healthy. (breaking into anime tears) I thought we could be friends.

 **Rose:** (sweat dropping) Overreacting much? (counting and shaking the box) How many did you eat?

 **Alek:** (wiping his tongue down) I fwon'b know? I fink maybe tuenty? Firty? Une hunbwunb?

 **Rose:** You're lucky you spat them all out then. I don't think you designed a universe to compensate weight gain. It did nothing to cure your hangover from over-drinking if I am correct.

 **Alek:** (surprised) They told you about that?

 **Rose:** Everyone already knows. Rias saw it all remember?

 **Alek:** (recalling the events) Oh, yeah. Fuck. (takes the letter) Oooh! I also get . . . let's see here: (wickedly smiles) a

 **Rose:** (eyes suddenly widen) D-D-Don't you dare think of using it on me!

 **Alek:** (stunned) Fine, I promise. (whispering with an evil smile) _I still have four other people trapped here who can still be useful._

 **Rose:** Why did he even make cookies if he was already going to give you a gun?

 **Alek:** (looks at her) Well, I guess someone not going to have them, (tapping the review) reviewers order.

 **Rose:** (shocked and grabs the review) *gasp* . . . (crying) Aww, no fair! I actually like oat and raisin. Why do things always turn out like this for me. It's not bad enough that I couldn't get a boyfriend till I had already been made homeless and jobless, but now I'm stranded in the middle of nothingness with a box of cookies I'm forbidden from eating. Why is karma so cruel to me!

 **Alek:** (getting uncomfortable with the situation as the water level rises) _What is this, "Alice in Wonderland"? Am I going to drown in he tears?_ (sighing) Look, if it makes you feel any better, we'll stop doing these reviews and do something fun for a change. (mouthing to the remaining reviewers) * _I'm sorry, but I need to sort this out. I apologise to all of you who will be unanswered. even you, **User:RangerElk76**.*_ . . . _Oh, and **User:DragonRider66** , your first answer is on Volume 22 Life 3. Rosseweisse got traded to Issei before the opening of the Azazel cup. And Second is soemthing you'll have to ask her, I have no idea what goes through her head in this place. _

**Rose:** (stops crying) Wh-what?

 **Alek:** (rubbing the back of his head) . . . I have another idea for a **High School DxD** story, that I want to write.

 **Rose:** (wiping her face) But, you already have a story to write.

 **Alek:** Yes, but it wouldn't hurt to just get an idea down and planned out ahead of time. Since you're so learned, I thought . . . you might like to help me.

 **Rose:** Really?

 **Alek:** (beats his chest once) Yes, let's do that. Let's collaborate on a story together! (notices a large pile of work appearing out of no where) Where did this come from?

 **Rose:** I brought all with me, for reference material. I had them all placed outside of space with Norse magic and when you adhered to my request I brought them all here.

 **Alek** : (confused and sweat dropping) . . . Why?

 **Rose:** (explaining) Well, when Lord Odin decided he would be going to Japan, I had to study up beforehand so that at the very least one of us wasn't clueless. (sweatdropping) Despite the fact he ended up abandoning me anyways.

 **Alek:** Well, you certainly have a lot of . . . (inspects the papers) Manga? Light Novels? (confused) Didn't you have anything more . . . formal? Like a history book? Travel guide? A map at least?

 **Rose:** (whited out) ? ? ?

 **Alek:** I'll take that as a no. (sighing) Well, considering that their world is exactly like an anime, manga and light novels were probably the safer option as research material. Plus, since we are writing a story this is actually perfect. (stars in his eyes) Let's get starte-

 **Rose:** (stopping him in his tracks) Wait! You have to end this omake before you start anything else!

 **Alek:** (realises she's right) Oh, well until next time, yadda-yadda. See you when I can. Bye-bye! (back to his writing) Quick! I just thought of a plot device. (lights up again) And a new villain! (again lights up) And a new power-up. Oh, this is going to be good.

 **Rose:** (sweat dropping) Have I made a mistake?

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'LordGhostStriker', 'RuinHuntr', 'ferodile', 'Dr4cul', 'AcclaimingTR', 'Muzaka', 'DrunkenFistNinja', 'IonicArchitect', 'RangerElk76', 'Dragon Rider 66', 'WolfeArisen', 'bk42bk42', and 'RedSS' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **I'm back at University, so I will update for as long as I can, but don't expect consistency at the cost of quality because I'd rather have something good that takes a while than something passable regularly. I will try to keep it weekly, but do not be surprised with one or two day delays.**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**


	10. Prelude to the Inevitable

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release. This was meant to be released at the end of February, but I wasn't happy with what I had so I stalled it so that I could release it when it was completed for you all.**

 **. . . So sorry for the wait.**

* * *

"_" = Speaking.

( ___ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

 **["_"]** = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

 **[{"_"}]** = Sacred Gear Command.

 **Name** = Point of View/Narration Change (Permanent Addition)

" _Italic_ " = Flashback Discussions

* * *

Along the shipping yard front where a forest of red, blue and white containers made their stations, the peerage of Sona Sitri did battle with a stray devil from the House of Moloch. And I, **Hyoudou Issei** , was aiding in its extermination.

* * *

 _["The [Baron of Moloch] has issued a personal request to my peerage to hunt one his servant's gone rogue on the eastern docks."]_

 _"And, may I ask as to why in particular have you decided to inform me of this?"_

 _["I have been granted permission for you to accompany us on a stray hunt."]_

 _"Under whose authority?"_

 _["The [Marquis of Phenex] himself asked personally as part of your agreement to study here."]_

 _". . . I'll be there within the minute."_

* * *

And so, here we are; the five members of the Sitri Peerage, and myself.

The stray in question was simply the A class stray that had abandoned his master. And that was all we needed to know about tonight's hunted.

This was the Sitri peerages first time hunting a stray in the A ranks, according to Sona, so every action taken here was not only made to be perfectly coordinated and kept within contact at all times, but also an experiment to test the waters as it were.

Given that water was the primary magic element of the Sitri clan, this harbour was the perfect first battle ground for the heiress.

In terms of strength, the A-class was no stronger than what most would consider lower Middle-class devils on average as a whole, with the stronger of the classes belonging to either AA or AAA strays. With that settled into my mind, I was confident that I could defeat and kill it alone had I been permitted to use my Sacred Gear during the hunt. However, it would be a while before Ddraig could see action again, so I had to put my faith in following temporarily under Sona and her tactics.

["Tsubasa, Tomoe. Keep the pressure on him. Do not allow him to hide or escape. Force him to retreat to Point A at all costs."]

["Got it."]

["Hai, Souna"]

["Tsubaki, keep them protected. If need be, I need you to hinder him, but don't immobilise him altogether. If he finds himself at the disadvantage, he will run and the plan will fall apart. Hold off on using your Sacred Gear for now."]

["As you wish, Sona."]

["Momo, remain on standby and wait till target reached Point G. When he reaches destination, paralyse him with everything. We cannot allow him to move once he has been captured."]

["I'll do as I can."]

I will grant credit when it is due, considering that this was the Sitri's peerage's first serious stray devil hunt. And with an A-class to start it off, this was very well organised;

Using her Rook (Tsubasa), who specialised in attacking and defending, and her Knight (Tomoe), who specialised in speed and flanking, she was using them to keep the stray preoccupied by continuously adding on the pressure and aiming to push the devil to a point more favourable to destroy it.

And using her Queen (Tsubaki) who was all-rounder, speaking in general of course, she was using her to cover any loose holes that may happen whilst her Rook and Knight continued to cause distraction to the stray.

Her Bishop (Momo), who had her focus set to magical spells, was being used to stun the stray once he reached the pier at Point G in order to prevent him from moving around any further.

Point G served as the execution point more than halfway across the pier, which would provide a great deal of isolation in which a lot of heavy attacks could then be dealt upon it without attracting unwarranted attention this time of evening, and the infinite amount of water favoured the water magic specialised Sitri clan highly.

As for me, the Pawn serving as the 'dogs-of-war' in this fight so to speak . . .

["Hyoudou, do read me?"]

Reaching to my left ear at the sound of the vice president's voice speaking, I responded immediately from my crouched position with an opportune view of the intended spot dubbed as Point A.

"Loud and clear on my end."

["Have you reached point B yet?"]

In other words; 'was I behind the green shipping container that was parallel to both Point A on the opposite side of said container and also to Point G which was on the far side of the pier?' Believe me when I had to affirm with _green_ shipping container she was referring to before I started searching around for it.

"Yes, I have. Next orders?"

["Await confirmation. When target reaches Point A, we'll proceed with the second stage. I need a strong fixture from you to push him towards Point G without room for him to evade or escape. Until then, promote to Rook and standby."]

"Understood. {Promotion: Rook!}"

Ending transmission, I activated the {Promotion} ability afforded to me as a Pawn, whilst I waited for my ideal time to strike. Outside of Rating Games, the {Promotion} ability had very few limitations; while a King's permission was usually required, so long as the order for promotion was validated, one was able to promote to a piece of their choice for as long as the piece could recognise a state of danger.

Its counterpart, {Demotion} was a rarely manually-used ability. It automatically activated once the threat was neutralised in such a way that the Pawn wouldn't notice the decline is abilities over the transition of an hour or so. Activating it manually was a dangerous play; for an example, a Pawn that {promotes} to Queen to then sudden forcefully {demote} themselves risks hit with sudden phantom fatigue over the sudden depletion of physical and magical drain, with some weaker devils who foolishly attempt this falling into comas as a result.

While not a general rule, it is a given that using {Demotion} is not a move to be used unless a change in conditions requires it as such. While it becomes largely a useless skill for the many Pawns who {promote} straight into Queen when given the opportunity, it is by no means obsolete as I managed on the off chance to demonstrate this very evening.

On a side note for why we had three points lettered A, B, and G rather than C was an obvious one considering that the third letter in Azaberkna was 'Geuua' (after 'Aza' and 'Berkna' obviously). And, despite how it should be pronounced in Deftodiz, it actually favours sounds from where its name originates from. So it is pronounced as 'gyoo-A' instead of 'geh-OO-a'. I'll leave it at that.

All the while, as I waited for the stray devil in question to arrive on the scene, I could hear the voices of the battle unfolding growing ever louder.

* * *

*Slash*

"Thwack*Dosh*Dosh*

"Kuh!"

"KoOO-oAARaaH!"

*Swoosh*Swoosh*

*Do . . . Do-Do-Do-Do-Do—Dosh*

As both Tsubasa and I, **Meguri Tomoe** , continued to attack the stray devil from every angle we possibly could to force him to reach Point A, I nearly lost my arm after getting my sword caught in his gullet. Had it not been for Tsubasa, I probably would have been amputated on the spot with my right arm still gripping its handle.

After a series of close-quarter punches delivered by her, I was able to yank my sword free before anything bad could have happened. I am so thankful that I didn't have to choose between losing my arm or losing my family sword, Kahorinsatsujin (哥布林杀人, _Goblin Slayer_ ), especially when this blade was meant to be seriously strong against creatures like these stray devils.

Plus, I didn't think it was good for a Knight to lose her sword in the middle of an important battle like this.

Despite the claims my family had attested to for many generations about how proficient this sword was meant to be, the blade didn't do all that much extra damage to him. The only sizable contribution it did was that it was better at cutting him than a Western or Sub-continental sword would have like all well-made katanas. But unlike the effects of Holy Swords, there appeared to be no apparent effect on him or anything.

We continued to attack just as we did, with my speed and swordswoman skills dashing to and from to keep him preoccupied whilst Tsubasa would hit him hard on the occasions to make sure he was heading in the right direction. Throwing stuff or taking a good punch against him before safely pulling back was her strategy. It was what she was good at, just like how my sword skills were my strength.

We were positive that after managing to push him back to within a range of 50ms to where Souna had designated Point A to be, that this first incursion of ours was going to be a straight up success. Just a few more slashes from my part, and more punches from Tsubasa, and he would be there in no time.

That was what we thought until we made the mistake of underestimating him.

"One more strike, and here it comes!"

I am embarrassed to say that I was still inexperienced enough to think that announcing my attacks was cool and couldn't be heard by the enemy.

I dropped the guard I had at the beginning of this fight and even a little after I nearly had my limbs severed. Attacking straight towards his right side where he was still mostly flesh that would have been a better target for my blade to pierce through over his boney and exposed open left where Tsubasa's blunt attacks could break them with ease.

But, I was unable to reach the stray in time, because he knew that I was coming in for the attack this time.

"{atTraCTiOn stEP!}"

Despite the warnings that this devil was a former Bishop, none of us had even thought that this now disgusting looking being was still able to wield magic as effectively as it had done when it was still serving his master.

Needless to say, that once he knew I was coming, his magic circle fired where I was running towards and I was then suddenly trapped. My feet felt so heavy all of a sudden that I could no longer lift them.

My Knight's speed was gone in an instant and I was now a sitting duck, without any way of breaking free. Unlike Souna or Tsubaki, or even Momo, I was unable to break this magic circle with magic because I wasn't strong enough to do so.

"{pROpETUal MOtiOn sPot!}"

While I was busy with my own situation, the stray fired a second magic circle, but aimed this time for Tsubasa, who tried to attack from the opposite direction.

As a Rook, her weakness was her slower speed, so a spell like this where she was caught moving on one spot continuously must have been torture for her. Stuck moving forward, but never being able to land a solid hit because she never reaches her target.

As the two of us became trapped from moving any further, we could only stand there as he started laughing and boasting in between our views.

"BoTH You litTlE gIRls ARe FOolS tO thINk yOu caN JUsT wAlK oVer mE! I aM aN exPErieNceD DevIl, onCe pRiZEd foR My sKIlLS iN stRAteGy. It wAs EaSy tO deDUCe yoUr iNEXperIEncE aFteR lEttINg yoU BoTh tO StriKe mE sEVerAl TiMe. A TRuE DeVil woULd havE kILLed mE WHeRE wE meT aND Not tRy tO puSh mE aLl ThiS waY acROsS tHe CoaSt fOR nO rEaSOn exCePt tO aMbUSH mE."

No one said another word. We were all in too much shock once we realised that this stray knew what we were planning. All our efforts were just an act, and he was simply baiting us.

["Tsubaki. Stop him!"]

"Got it, Sona."

Over our communications line, Souna ordered Tsubaki to back us up. Appearing from behind a red container, she leaped on to its roof and began prepping a magic circle aimed for the stray with both hands reaching outwards in its direction.

"{Half-Height Ensnare!}"

But, she wasn't quick enough to react to her real target, who always seemed to have some sort of plan in place before we could do anything;

"{hENkYo!} (変虚, _Switch Deception_ )

Quick as light, both the figures of Tsubaki and the stray vanished and reappeared in where each other had been standing previously. The worse of it was that Tsubaki's spell hadn't had a chance to fire before she swapped where she was aiming, only to now see the person within her line of sight was now Tsubasa.

"Oh no!"

Unable to properly move, let alone enough time to think about reacting to the new situation, Tsubasa suddenly found her body being forcefully dragged below into to the concrete by just over two and a half feet.

"Kuhh!"

While she had better defence towards physical injuries, having her entire lower body being forcibly dragged through solid stone must have really hurt.

"{fREezE FrAMe!}"

Before Tsubaki could turn her head, her body was suddenly caught by another magic circle, in an odd shade of dark grey. I'm not sure what happened, but her body was suddenly no longer moving, nor was her expressions. The weirdest thing was that her appearances seemed to had inversed in colour as well.

"tHE VetErAN oF mANy rATinG GAmES will nOt bE dEFEaTed sO eASily!"

As I turned to look up at the Stray, now on top of the container Tsubaki previously stood, he then raised his hand and the remainder of my fight with the stray was at its end.

"{reVeRSE FOrcE!}"

The magic circle below me changed from a deep piercing red, to a sudden alerting yellow-orange, and my frozen feet became weightless as my whole body was thrown backwards.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" *Thwomp*S~Slam*

If we devils didn't have such durable bodies, that impact into the shipping container would have broken my spine if it didn't kill me after breaking through its side as I did. The force of my collision was enough to flip it so my immediate landing against what would have been the back was now the floor.

I even dirtied my school uniform with blood once I managed to adjust my eyes to the sudden lack of light. Luckily, it wasn't from my chest, nor had I been deeply cut in any place on me.

["Tomoe! Do you read me?" Come in, Tomoe!"]

I heard Souna's voice over the open communications line she set up to all of us present. Speaking into my right ear, I started to move before I could tell her that I was still able to fight.

But, as I tried to stand, I realised that I had badly sprained my right leg. It gave way and I fell to my knees, only to then collapse to my left side when I realised how sore it was. I was now a Knight with heavily reduced mobility. And, I couldn't even get up and out of this metal box I was in.

"I'm sorry, Souna. *tsss* I can't stand, but I'm alright. Continue without me."

* * *

Far away at the pier where we had previously arranged would be our designation Point G, I, **Sona Sitri** , felt so irked by the sound of my Knight's inability to continue in this battle. It was never her fault for getting injured so badly. It was mine for underestimating out opponent.

"It's ok, Tomoe. Standby until this battle is finished. Do not attempt to engage any further."

["Hai, Souna."]

The stray devil formerly the Bishop of Lord Aryoi Moloch, was an experienced devil and had a long history of utilising his abilities to conjure magic circles of large varieties for over a century now. It wasn't a surprise that he managed to earn A-rank level.

["Sona! He's curving. He's off course and running amok!"]

Though far from the real battle I may have been, the view from the pier cranes far sufficed as a base from which looking out across the bay was to our advantage. Better vision during lunar hours, and also highly responsive senses means that spotting enemies from afar at night is something of a specialty.

Through Tsubasa's clearer observation, it appeared that our target was now deciding to move back in land rather than towards this direction. With her trapped in the ground, it would be a while before she can dig herself out. I needed to take that into consideration, alongside Tomoe's injury.

I contemplated moving Hyoudou out of hiding as back-up, but then we would have no way of forcing him to the pier, where I could utilise my best strengths in defeating it. With only these six pieces including myself, I have to make the best of my smaller numbers and not waste them fruitfully.

As I saw the spell over Tsubaki fade out after it's time had exceeded, I needed to get her back into action immediately despite the stunned state she will be having been stuck in ten seconds of frozen time.

"Tsubaki, switch to third plan. Intercept and reset course!"

["Huh? . . . R-Right away!"]

"Tsubasa, are you able make chase?"

["Guh- I'm still trapped here. I can't even *urgh* get further away from him, let alone follow."]

Tch. This was all starting to fall apart too quickly. This may have been our first time dealing with an A-rank stray, but to think that it was going to be this difficult. I underestimated the traitor still having enough of its mind intact to formulate contingencies against our efforts.

I cannot leave the force I have left in the frontline to themselves any longer, and I need Tsubasa to get back in their quickly. So I turned to my reserved piece to my right.

". . . Momo, free Tsubasa as soon as you can. Abandon your post and intercept."

"I'm on it!"

She teleported from my side straight to Tsubasa's side and started to work on freeing her from the trap that was misfired upon her. This was turning into one of the worst evenings of my life. So much that could have gone wrong did go wrong within the span of an hour.

B-rank strays were easier pickings because they were relatively weak and lacked any sort of power or strategy. I remember the times where I would have a single servant practise training on those who had signed their own death warrants. It was usually enough, but there and been a few times where having multiple peerage members as back-up for the one gaining experience in those few dire times.

But now just looking at what has unfolded with this A-rank and the differences in not just its strengths, but how it used it was a large jump from what my peerage had been used to up till last year.

I was too inexperienced for this kind of fight. As the strategic command, I should have continued monitoring the movements of those fighting on my behalf. But having paid too much attention to my injured peerage members either trapped or incapable of continuing tonight, I lost sight of the stray in question, as well as my Queen.

"Tsubaki, please state you-"

["No way! He brok-"]

What broke? I couldn't find her position in view. Was this that stray's idea? Did it maybe realise that I was scouting from this pier?

"Tsubaki?!"

["{Mirror Alice!}"]

She's using her Sacred Gear? Is she really that desperate? Surely, this stray devil

["Kyaaah!"]

I couldn't believed what I was hearing. Not even {Mirror Alice} could stop it? Just what was going on? Why was this not going according to plan?

"Tsubaki!"

[""Tsubaki!""]

". . ."

["Guhh. I can't stop him. He's breaking away! I'm sorry, Sona."]

["What do we do now? Souna?"]

For what was probably the first time in my life, my thoughts just froze.

I didn't know. I didn't know what to do next. This wasn't like me at all, but that was the truth of this situation;

Tomoe was no longer able to run, so using her to round the stray back on course was a no go even if she was able to. Tsubasa was still partially trapped and it was taking Momo too long to free her for her to catch up to where Tsubaki had attempted to intercept it. I had no call for Tsubaki's condition either, but with {Mirror Alice} no longer of use for the rest of the day, her trump card was already played and she had nothing else to utilise.

Just what did it do that could prevent {Mirror Alice} from being ineffective? Did it know what she was capable of before hand. No, that was impossible. No stray could have scouted that much information without alerting us before our confrontation.

Should I have called Rias? I couldn't. She and her Queen were having a discussion with her family. Something related to her imposing engagement that I decided not to pry my nose into any further. Without her leave, I couldn't ask to call in either Kiba or Toujou. Though if I was honest, had this stray left the district, they may have come into contact with it eventually.

The less I say of inquiring the aid of Vladi is probably for the best of reasons.

Perhaps . . . I might need to call in my sister? No. No, I can't do that. Absolutely not. Not only will the consequences be dire, but it would take too long before she would even be prepared. Not to mention if she came herself, she would most likely destroy this entire dockyard with a wave of her . . . _wand_.

At this rate . . . he will escape. We will fail here.

["Souna?"]

["Hey, Souna!?"]

["Sona!"]

I was becoming deaf even to the cries of my peerage as I stood here atop of the crane. I was even blind to the view before my eyes. I was stuck in my own cold world.

This situation is best summarised by the third and fourth lines of the seventh and penultimate verse of "To a Mouse" by Robert Burn; " _The best-laid schemes o' Mice an' Men / Gang aft angley (go often askew)"_ meaning that even the best of plans will go wrong. Just as it has now.

I most disgusted with myself to admit that I would have considered giving in and packing up this operation then and there in my moment of self-pitying. With my own schemes now nothing by broken pieces on a scattered board, I was absent-minded and unable to think forward to then next possible step, had it not been for the sudden wake-up call.

["I've got this!"]

Our ears pricked up in surprise when a male voice announced his intentions over our communications line. Though unfamiliar from our usual relay, there was only a single person it could have been.

"Hyoudou-san?"

* * *

["I can't stop him. He's breaking away! I'm sorry, Sona."]

["What do we do now? Souna?"]

The best-laid plan of her had gone wrong right beneath her feet, while I, **Hyoudou Issei** , was still standing by at Point B this entire time.

["Souna?"]

["Hey, Souna!?"]

["Sona!"]

No answer. After all the things that could have gone wrong suddenly going wrong as according to Murphy's Law, freezing up at this point is reasonable, but it shouldn't be an option at any point in this venture of ours.

If my devil physiology allowed me to openly blaspheme verbally without enduring consequential pain, I could think of quite a few words that could accompany my exclamations for this situation.

I caught a short glimpse of the stray as he ran past my vision, and it was the most disgusting creature I had ever borne witness to; to one side it was like a sea slug, a mound of slime covered blubber that drips and rolled over itself continuously, with a pungent odour that could be caught from within a mile of its location. On it's opposing side, the contrast; a drowned skeletal corpse with seaweed, gravel and other such undesirable things caught in its joints and the gaps in its rib cage.

To think that such a revolting mesh of seaman's nightmares was a master of trickery magic. After listening the failed attempts of Meguri, Yura and Shinra, it was safe to assume that it was a tough opponent.

I cursed silently under my breath at the thought that I could have just gone into my {Balance Breaker} and beaten it till it was black and blue and threw it back through the earth to its former master's home in the Underworld. A very arrogant thought, but at the very least one where I was assured that I could easily win without suffering at all in this fight.

But I couldn't use my {Boosted Gear}, and thus nothing that followed after it. Not when both Sona and Rias Gremory were within range to detect him. Even with this new charm around my neck that I received this evening, I wasn't willing to test its limits just on the chance that I might not get discovered my first day.

I needed to stop it, was what I was thinking. If I left it be, it would head into the more populated districts of Kuoh and either disappear into the night, or it would start causing death among any who may cross it's path this evening. Either option would lead to a failure, and that I couldn't accept.

Clutching tightly to the omamori Ravel gave to me, I readied myself for something completely crazy, but of the absolute necessity for this situation.

"I've got this!"

["Hyoudou?"]

Dashing from my vantage point, I gave immediate chase, following in the oath of the stray on the run. However, I soon realised that at my current speed, I was never going to catch it, as it used the shipping containers as springboards from which it continued to leap across the empty dockyard and closer towards the main urban areas.

I knew that as a Rook, I would never be able to catch it at this speed. I needed to be able to run faster. I had but one option.

"{Demotion!} . . . *gasp!*"

With the sudden decrease in physical strength, the energy in my arms went dead for a moment before I could recover my sense to continue my chase. The {demotion} was completed within the second, and then I was in need to catch up with the stray before he could escape.

Technically speaking, Sona had designated this entire dockyard as the enemy's territory, so promoting again without needing to be within five metres of it was not an issue.

"{Promotion: Queen!}"

The {promotion} to Knight would have been a quicker way to catch up to it, but then I would be opening myself up to the same sort of situation Meguri had gotten herself in because her physical defence and attack were too weak by comparison.

In addition, {demoting} in order to retain the Rook's strength would not be a wise option given that it was clear that this stray was too intelligent to allow for chances like those when my power is being altered.

No. The Queen was definitely the wiser choice for this situation, with a boost to all my physical and magical capabilities that do not favour anything to drastic that I wouldn't be used to handling.

"hOMe fReE!"

"I beg to differ!"

"UWaaHTt!- *GoOOohHh!"

As the devil made his ridiculous declaration of victory in retreat by carelessly jumping into the air, I jumped after him. Striking him in mid-air, my shoulder and right arm slammed into his stomach as he turned around to my vocal response.

With his guts now wounded, I sprouted my wings and swung my left arm around his back before locking both arms together into a ring of steel across his body. I noticed a few trails of blood leak from its half deformed face, and few teeth that were beyond rotten shatter from the left side of its jaw.

"lET gO oF mE! rELEASE mE tHIS iNSTANT!"

I didn't comply, and it seemed that it couldn't deal with me this close in proximity, which worked to my favour. With my wings now holding me suspended in the air, as well as the devil caught in my grip, I prepared a move especially for him. I dubbed it 'Bova's Third Revenge Move: Aerial Back Arch Throw'. With my grip firmly tightened around it. I dived backwards with its head now facing the ground as we both plummeted straight into the solid concrete below.

*SLAM!*

I let go and rolled away immediately. I was certain that I had at least buried it to its neck at the speed I was dropping at, or at least hoped the boney half was a broken mesh of white powder. It was the least I had expected after having to endure getting its mucus coating down my uniform.

Sona was not going to like that I messed my school attire, but so had most of her peerage so I was not alone on this boat.

"w-WHaT tHe fUCK iS ThiS?"

Its horrific cries rumbled through the rising dust, and it lifted its ugly head from the broken rubble where it's face had collided with it. When he turned, most of his bones were visibly cracked, and a few teeth were now gone, but its blubbered half was relatively unscathed except for the single cut where the fat had been squeezed into and out of the dent in the ground.

A gory crimson stream started slowly trickling down his slippery face.

"How CAn-*SPiToOh!* . . . a PawN lIKe tHIs BeAT mE?"

"So, you're with enough of a brain to recognise a Pawn, are you?"

Taunting. One aspect that Tannin-ojiisama said was the key to forcing your opponent to give up reason and attack violently. For an opponent who relied on its brains to fight and win, making it think with irrationality was my best option of dragging it back to where the main battlefield had been set up.

Though I did not doubt I could eliminate it with Ddraig at my hand, I wasn't allowed to unleash him. And this was also not my fight to finish. The fight was assigned to Sona, and my pride compelled me to see it fulfilled.

My taunt following a humiliating attack was already beginning to rile it up.

"i FuCKinG hATe pAwnS. tHEy SHoULd oF jUSt ROlLed oVer AnD dIEd LikE tHE diSPoSAble tOOLs thEY ARe. STeALINg pOWer thAt tHey dID nOt iniTIaLLy poSsESSed. I hAtE THeM!"

"That's fine with me. But I'm sending you to Point G."

I ducked down low and drove my shoulder into its guts before I started pushing it backwards through the maze of shipping containers. Raising my head, I began to steer him towards the crane where the pier below would be his final resting place.

It clawed and scratched at my exposed back with both its sharp claw-like hand, and also flailing with its slug-of-a-blob that was his other hand. But this kind of physical pain was nothing to what I endured while under Tannin-ojiisama's tutelage. Nothing but flesh wounds by comparison alone. Bova broke my back with the move I duplicated in the stray tonight, and that wasn't the only serious injury I received in those years.

This stray was nothing but a struggling child faffing about with its preformed arms trying to escape from my clutches. But, I was determined not to let go until I had it in the designated kill zone.

However, it had few more tricks up its sleeves.

"{pOIsOn aRRowS!}"

As my head was down low next to my driving shoulder, I was unable to react to the attack until I felt a hundred needles striking my back all at the same time. My eyes shot open in pain, but it continued to throb until I could feel it stinging through my veins and around my body. I even coughed a little blood in response.

But I was not giving in so easily to this pain. I bit down on my teeth and continued to push onward. Despite the horrid, almost sickening feeling that was building up through my brain and in my guts, I struggled onward to get the stray to Point G with all my might.

"{pArAlySIs lEEch!}"

A second sting struck my back, but this time it was more than just pain that bolted through my body. It was a sudden stiffness I was not used to. I found my muscles grow heavy and immovable and then I was stuck and was no longer able to move any of my limbs how I wished them to.

"cAN'T take aNYmOrE, Can YoU?"

The stray would have started laughing had he not been interrupted.

"Incoming!"

"hUH?- *DoSH!*"

Without any warning, a flying Rook came speeding along and into the stray's stomach. The blue haired blur landed a blow was so concentrated that the stray Bishop was thrown from his feet and unto the pier.

Smashing through two layers of shipping containers along the way. The crunching it made upon both impacts sounded like two walnuts breaking the shells of each other. Neither the shipping containers survived the impacts, as they ripped in half don the middle and sent it flying across the harbour till it was near the water.

"How you feeling, Hyoudou?"

I looked up to Yu- Tsubasa, who was a little worse for wear from her lower half down after having been dug out of solid concrete from friendly fire, and she offered me a hand to stand up. I shook my head and opened the gap beneath my arm, while gesturing to the puncture wounds to my back.

"Intense poisoning through my body, so I have limited mobility at the moment."

She smiled simply and then grabbed me by the arm and slung it behind her neck. That was about the time Momo finally caught up from behind. Though I couldn't see it was her, she immediately began applying magic to my back.

"I'll have you fixed up in a moment so stay still for me please."

From behind, I could feel an intense radiance spread throughout my back, and the scratches and the deep grazes began to close over like they had never been inflicted in the first place. However, I could still feel a slight heat and stiffness running across my blood stream even when she stopped at last.

"I can't remove the poison entirely, but your body should be able to naturally exhume it in a few days."

"Thank you" I replied, while trying to turn my head in proper gratitude.

As my wounds were finally closed and I was starting to feel the tips of my fingers again, the battle with the stray was already reaching its conclusion.

After Tsubasa had sent the stray flying across the pier, Tsubaki had been waiting to pin it down in Momo's absence when she came to treat my injuries. As of when I started moving again, the Queen called out to her King to deal the last blow to this stray.

["Lady Sona! Do it now! Hit him with everything you've got! End This!"]

["{Clasping Riptide!}"]

The world fell to a silence as the wind stopped blowing, and the waves stopped crashing against the docks. Then, all at once, the sea itself arose from the bay and continued to rise like two large walls on either side of the quay.

I will abridge my description by mentioning how the wall shifted in shape until it became two separate wall of primed and sharpened knives on either side that swiftly closed over the wounded stray like an iron maiden.

Through the thickness of the water, there was no sign that there had been anything inside of there, until one looked for long enough to see the water was being dyed a disgustingly dark shade of red.

Sona jumped down from the crane just as she released the waters that had entrapped her prey. The rest of us, including the injured Knight Tomoe who was still showing signs of hobbling on her damaged leg, approached the spot where the stray lay wounded, cut, broken and beaten at last, just as Sona was to issue her verdict.

"In the name of the Four Great Devil Kings; Lucifer, Leviathan, Beelzebub and Asmodeus, and to the mother of all devils, Lilith. I, Sona of the House of Sitri, sentence you to death. You, who have betrayed and abandoned your master and sought to trespass on the territory of which I govern. Such disregard for you actions deserve no such mercies. On behalf of the [Baron of Moloch], your former master, and of the [Prince of Sitri], my father, I carry out this sentence upon you. Speak now, or forever hold to your peace."

Through its chipped teeth and ripping, slime infested blubber, it stuttered through its final words as it looked her in the eyes with sheer defeat and hatred.

". . . f-F-F-f-fUCk-K-K . . . y-Y-Y-yoU."

Without another word from his charming and broken mouth, Sona disposed of his life with a simple decapitation via water magic. The attack came so finely that it looked like nothing happened till his head started falling backwards without its neck dragging the rest of the now wound riddled corpse.

"Pass from this existence; {Faux Cocytus!}"

A magic circle opened beneath the ground where both head and body lay still like stone, until an icy grip erupted over their bodies, and then shattered as soon as both lumps of dead flesh had been fully encased. A shower or glass fell like sand in an hourglass and then melted and slipped into the ocean like there had never been a sentient being standing on that spot. No trace was left behind save for the rampage he left in the dockyard.

After such a long and strenuous night, I think I could sympathise with how the vice president was feeling as of then. She just finally had enough.

The stray was dead. The mission was complete, but none of us present here felt like celebrating this evening. It was a long hard fought battle, but it was too close to be anything relateable to 'good sport' that deserved cheers or applause.

No, the accompanying rain that started to shower was more appropriate to end this hunt.

"I know that you've been struck with two different types of poisoning, Hyoudou. But, I do still expect you to attend school tomorrow."

"Of course, fukukaichou."

"It would not look good your to be absent on your second day at school, even if it's from poisoning."

I almost laughed at the last comment. True the poison would be gone after a few days, but I had no doubt that I would be feeling groggy for a few days

I unhooked my arm from Tsubasa's shoulder, now feeling a little more able to move on my own, and begun to make my preparations to go home. With the stray gone, there was no longer any need for me to stay. Especially, when the Sitri peerage will be the ones to fix the damage done to the dockyards of the Yabou district this evening.

"Before you leave" Sona then added in while I was beginning to craft a magic circle to home, "may I ask a personal question, Hyoudou-san?"

I stopped mid-way from its completion to answer her.

"As long as it is a reasonable request, I shall not mind."

"How many pawns did you need to induct the reincarnation process for yourself?"

I stopped for a minute and went about to complete the circle. It was probably rude of me to ignore her for a while like this, but I needed to weigh up the options in my head while I had the excuse to not answer straight away.

Yes, while just simply saying the answer would have been a easy thing and would bring little harm to me, why was she so interested in knowing like this now? Was it because I could handle {Demotion} easier than most Pawns could, or was she noticing something different that was only catching her curiosity even more?

A bright golden yellow light started forming in the ground and I stepped into it. I then turned around to face Sona Sitri one last time this evening and replied to her;

"It was Eight. Good night, Miss Sitri. Ladies."

And without looking behind, I returned back to my apartment for a complimentary meal of cold fish and what I presumed would be soggy rice.

Yay. Not even soy sauce could fix that. Perhaps reheating it into rice porridge would be more appropriate given the new situation I was feeling.

* * *

"Eight pawns?"

Not so long after Hyoudou Issei had departed from our group for the night, we, including I **Yura Tsubasa** , we still left quite speechless by what he had confided with us about the number of pawns he had consumed.

Though it had not been quite two years since I first became a devil myself, I had been made to memorise a few of the basics in devilry, so I was aware of the multiple pieces cases in some reincarnations. But to hear that eight pieces were consumed by a single person was something even unheard of by Souna, so that was quite a shock to us all.

"It basically means his base power is just short of a Queen by one level. Although . . ."

"What is it Sona?"

After being asked to speak on about what she was thinking, our King had to rub her eyelids behind her glasses with a sigh before she would answer.

"It might just be speculation, however I do now believe that the secret he is keeping hidden is a Sacred Gear."

"Is that all, seriously?" I replied.

"To think that his serving clan would go to so much effort to conceal it. It seems like a waste" Momo continued.

While we all knew what a Scared Gear was, being that Tsubaki herself was in possession of one, it was a little underwhelming to hear that _that_ was the only reason that seemed like it would fit. Sacred Gears were a rare item, granted to like 1 in 10,000 people, maybe even more than that. But hiding something that was becoming quite common for devils to pick up, something wasn't quite right about the situation.

We were also getting our butts kicked out here this night, and he still didn't bother revealing it, which only made me a little angry at the thought that we could have used it had we known it existed. That also begged the question as to why it was so important that even in a life or death situation like this that he couldn't even reveal it now.

"That is what makes this speculation all the more intriguing;" Souna explained. "Choosing humans with Sacred Gears isn't uncommon. In fact, many high-class devils would go as far as abducting a human if they knew they had a Sacred Gear merged with their souls. But to hide it like this, and that spell was not something crafted recently either, nor did it show evidence that it was made to be a permanent seal, so it's not something uncontrollable."

"Do you suspect a Longinus?"

Souna nodded to Tsubaki's response, which shocked the other three of us. Longinus. We were all told enough about that name to know that it belonged to the first wielder to ever successfully slay a god, that being St. Longinus, who gave both his name to the series, and to the very weapon he wielded.

"Either that, or an artifact with enough potential to qualify as such. However, I believe that our curiosities have been effectively derailed."

"A new spell?"

"Whether it was intentional intervention or mere coincidence cannot be made conclusive, unlike our attempts. There is most likely very little difference between the previous spell to its successor, but it is definitely more complicated than the last. Too formulaic for a devil to have made."

"Hmm. A magician, perhaps?"

After a short pause, Souna replied lastly with both a responded to the question, and a final order for the evening.

"Indeed. Anyways, before this night turns to day, we need to fix up the damage we've done to this place. After that, it's straight to bed and calling an end to this dreary evening."

"""Hai, Souna."""

* * *

The spring terms rolled by quicker than I could have expected them to have. For I, **Hyoudou Issei** , there wasn't too much excitement to be had, but school life wasn't as bad as I had thought it could have been at its worst.

In fact, the only consistent liveliness through this school year thus far were the antics of two student is class 1-E, Matsuda Shiboru (松田 絞流), and Motohama Nozoku (元浜 覗具), but I can wholeheartedly say that none of it was for good fun. There is a reason they are scorned as the "perverted duo". I do wish to entail their 'ventures' any more than I have already. The only worthwhile contribution those lewd-mongers have made to this academy thus far has been the formation of a pseudo-disciplinary committee.

By that, I am of course referring to the student council's decision to enact a new rule allowing the girls' sports clubs to inflict strict punishment against particular students until either a member of the student council or member of the staff could be brought unto the scene to enact a more conventional form punishment.

I'm unsure how inflicting direct harm unto them was meant to correct their behaviour, but it did end up deterring any of the other few boys in the school from making such desperate attempts. Well, except the two who ended up being the driving force behind the new enactment, who only became more skillful in their efforts and perseverance.

Those two ended up on a hit list of every girl in the academy by the end of the second week following the new rule for their continuous 'exploits' as the few boys chose to dub them.

I ended up making my seventh attempt of a contract with the pair of them, when it appeared that one of them had gotten a hold of one of the contracts I had been delivering, even when I was assured that no one from our school supposedly lived on the route Sona had designated for me.

Either way, it was definitely one of the worst experiences of my time in Kuoh;

* * *

 _"What do you want? We don't want any of your mail-order boy's love in this house."_

 _"Yeah, we called for a super-hot devil chick to come and make our night complete. You owe us a refund!"_

* * *

*Urghhhhhuhuhuhuh*

I ended up having to wipe their memories of that encounter that night. I also made a mental note to never acknowledge their existences for as long as they lived. That single encounter was enough to make me feel just as repulsed as any girl in the school.

If I could do so without killing them, I think I would have wanted to crack them over the head with a wooden shinai just as much as any of the kendo team. Though judging from the series of handmade paper maps of the schools layout with red writing littered all across their changing room, I don't think I need to worry about missing out on seeing their heads being split like watermelons.

Especially when I handed it over to the student council after my less than pleasant summons. Sometimes, being the devil has its benefits when doing the necessary evil to destroy even greater evil's hopes and dreams. Ehehe.

As for the rest of my contracts, I have say it went reasonably well; sure a lot of them were weirdos, but seeing as they are desperate enough to turn to a devil for help, they were pretty desperate to begin with.

I managed to organise a route with Miss Sona the day after I helped her catch that stray devil, which was a lot smoother than I had initially anticipated;

* * *

 _"In order not to ensue competitiveness between myself and Rias, I had originally drafted a simple division of the town based on halving the population and splitting the populace between to the two of us. However, as the New Year has come about, and new homes being built up and families leaving has jeopardised the previous agreement between the two of us, I must try to rectify this by redrawing it once again."_

 _"I see."_

 _"I've already divided up the nine districts between Rias and I, with a small alteration here and there to adjust for residential areas, places able to cover, etc. As you are currently alone, you understand that this route I am giving you is going to be a smaller one, given that you are still listed as a guest rather than a permanent resident for the time being."_

 _"That sounds reasonable."_

 _"While it would have been so much easier to just allow you the use of the apartments you currently reside around, the past has shown that it is better that spread out rather than stay put when the population reaches a certain extent."_

 _"Very well."_

 _"There's a road that follows the seafront to the south from the Kasarin district to the boundary with the Irori-no-Tochi district, that I think may be to your satisfaction. Since it is one of the straighter roads there's no need to diverge from it, and in addition it shouldn't take you too long to complete it."_

 _"Thank you, fukukaichou."_

* * *

In truth, Karuka was still not fully grown, nor was he capable of carrying all those papers. The result being that I needed to invest into a bicycle for a while so that I could help him while he was still too young to do it himself.

It was uncommon for devils to be training their familiars like this, but then again most familiars weren't hatchlings when they are first contracted, so I believe my situation was different.

The bicycle was a good investment in the end, since I could use it to ride to the academy and back much easier, but I do see some problems for when I need to do some shopping. Especially when I have bags full that I cannot properly balance on the handle bars when the baskets are overcrowded.

Karuka got used to the weight of half the needed papers in a months' worth of runs, but unfortunately he's become a little to dependent on my riding alongside him to do it himself. Such a pain sometimes, but I can't seem to say no to him.

From my first full month on the job which included the remaining two weeks of April, I was able to gain in seven successful contracts, with five of those on a permanent lease for assistance, and one absolute failure. Do not remind me to whom I am referring to. I was lucky to find some reasonable people who only requested simple things of me, like help with some work or just wanted someone to watch some movies with. The little things that count.

Although, I must say that the large adult male who wanted to become a magic girl was most . . . nightmarish. A nice enough person, but I think the image has been scarred upon my retina like a permanent tattoo.

Seven may not seem like a large number, but when you're the third party in a town with two major competing 'corporations' already taking most of the market, I think I can say with confidence that I was doing the best of my situation.

Apart from all that, and a couple more times where I was asked to assist with hunting strays (though I can say right now that Sona had improved as a coordinator after that first skirmish), I would say that the rest of those four months was relatively quiet.

Well, expect when around came the summer assignments on the last week of term.

* * *

"I managed to gain a total of thirty-nine permanent contracts this month alone altogether. How was your pickings for this month, Sona?"

"I managed to get fifty-four. However, I will say that I did do a little expanding into the neighbouring villages of Inato and Ryuu'un, so my real numbers are fourty-two for Kuoh alone."

"Always thinking ahead and at the big picture as always."

In the office of the student council after school had long since finished, I, **Himejima Akeno** , stood by Rias as she handed in her reports for this month to Sona.

I must say that it's always a breath of fresh air seeing the two of them get all competitive like this. Reminds me of when we were all still children. At least they aren't willing to pull at each other's hair if they didn't like losing to the other. Nor do they have their doting elder siblings hovering over them to fight on their behalf. Ufufu.

The two of them like to make it a small competition between them, so these end of term meetings have become such a thing that only Rias, Sona, Tsubaki and I share since those two get a little immature when their competitive sides take over.

"How many strays have you managed to eliminate this term, Rias?"

"Six" she declared triumphantly, "which is a new record on my part. With Kiba's speed, Koneko's strength, and Akeno's magic, there's nothing too difficult for us to handle."

"I'm glad to hear that one of us is confident" Sona replied, readjusting the angle of glasses as she sampled through the papers.

"Is there something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm still lingering onto the mental scars from our first real hunt. We have succeeded in three since then, so you still come out on top for this term also."

We heard about the first A-rank devil incident Sona and her peerage suffered against. The Bishop of Moloch really gave them a run for their money from what was described. Though Rias didn't enjoy hearing it, Sona complimented that Issei had been the one that saved the day for them. It seems there more than meets the eyes from our new kouhai.

Though Rias would never admit to it, she was a lot more careful when she was given her first A-rank hunt after hearing Sona's story.

After the two had had enough of their friendly show of rivalry, they moved on to a more serious agenda, and that was potential recruitments for future peerage members. Though the change in the school's acceptance laws was made in order to allow Kiba to enroll in the same school as the rest of us, the addition of boys did allow for some new potentials also.

Sadly, it would seem that on our end we didn't find such luck. Rias was such a picky King, and she only wanted those with the potential for great power; Sacred Gears, interesting heritages, etc. She had a way of picking them, and she only wanted the strong in her peerage.

Arara, sorry, I'm doing it again where I'm making her sound power hungry. I do apologise.

The case was not like that however for Sona, who had actually got a little greedy this term from what she had prepared for this meeting. That was evident when two folders were placed unto her desk instead of the usual one.

"I have found two students that I would like to potentially recruit."

"Someone's being greedy this year. I remember a time where you only chose one a month so that you could allow me the opportunity to find one for myself."

It was true. Sona usually chose only one student each term, and that had been the same last year; in the spring term of 2006, she first recruited her Bishop, Momo. Then in the autumn it was her Rook Tsubasa, and then after her was Tomoe to be her Knight after the New Year.

Though they were all in the last years of middle school when Sona reincarnated them, she had her eyes on them and she was lucky to have them all accept her when she offered, but then again she was quite hard to argue against, which was why she usually waited and made her claims in advance rather than rush through and ask them without really knowing what would sway them.

Ufufu, she could be considered a real devil with the way she operates.

"I'm sorry Rias" she said, "but we established that it was first come first serve, and I have now claimed them both for the future duration of my stay here. If, by chance I don't make a move to recruit them, then by all means you can take them after we've both graduated."

"Well, spill it. Which two are you referring to?"

"The first I want to recruit immediately is Kusaka Reya, Class 1-A. I feel that she has the most potential to be a great Bishop."

"You did have an eye for these kinds of people."

Sona lightly hummed in amusement to Rias' comment. "Says the girl with two scared gear users, one youkai and one . . . with high magic efficiency."

I knew where she was going with the description, but she chose not to for my sake. I appreciated that she decided not to delve into my past, even on accident or by stating fact.

"The second?"

This time, instead of her usual demeanour, she seemed conflicted with displaying her next potential servant.

"I'm unsure at this time, so I may wait until next year, but my second choice is Saji Genshiro, Class 1-D."

That came as a surprise to the both of us.

"A boy? And from a low achieving grade too. This is quite unlike you Sona; you usually pick the bright sparks, but . . . oh, you must know something I don't."

"Indeed. My sources have led me to believe he may possess a Sacred Gear, what it is though is still not to my knowledge however."

Oh, so that was what it was. You could suddenly see Rias' ears prick up till she realised she missed her chance until maybe four years down the line.

"Really?"

"Yes, so until I have complied all the details I need to know after some more investigating and observation, I want to wait until I know all the details before I can decide whether I wish assign him a place in my peerage."

"I see."

"Have you found anyone you have taken a liking too?"

Rias puffed her chest and folded her arms beneath her assets.

"Unfortunately, no. That has not been the case this time either."

Sona pressed no further. She didn't need to be reminded why we were still in the desperation peerage for recruitment because of a certain engagement slowly approaching. She then moved on to a topic more at home to Rias' heart.

"Let's move on to the last matter. This concerns what happens after the summer, when we go to Kyoto."

At the call of the ancient capital of my home country, the otaku inside Rias started to melt with anticipation. Although she didn't like to admit it, her obsession with japan was beyond that of any health fan. There were easily many room occupied in the main Gremory home that were stuffed to their brims with souvenirs she had collected and bought over the course of our stay here alone, let alone all the stuff she begun collecting since she was a child in love the with the idea of Japan.

Ever since she found out in our first year that this was a regular occurrence, this had been the only time she had wished for time to move quicker so that this trip would come faster. It was like having seeing a child wishing for Christmas in July.

I wish I could have anticipated what Rias would have said, weighing it between a tsundere response that she wanted to hide after her façade was seen through, or complete deredere where the side of mouth started drooling and her eyes turned to stars. Ufufu.

However, Sona was not in the cheering mood when she brought the topic, for other reasons that discerned what happened to our kouhais left behind. She shook her head, like she knew what Rias was thinking to say, and denied it before she could say.

"No. Not that at all, Rias. I mean, what shall we do about the Church and the fallen that have both remained quiet in this town?"

"I still don't see what you-."

"What do you think they will do, when they realise that neither us nor our Queens will be present here for that single weekend in September, Rias? Will they continue to stay quiet, or do you think they will see this as their opportunity to strike at our servants we left behind?"

Her questions struck hard. It was not something that either of us had even discussed when the thought of the trip came to mind. Our thoughts went to ourselves enjoying the old capital, but never to the rest of the club left behind at home.

If it was true that the Church and/or the fallen could make a move on our precious underclassmen while we were gone, then this was serious and needed to be decided now while we were still able to discuss the procedures and contingencies necessary for this type of situation.

We were lucky to have Sona, who was always at least two steps ahead when it came to pre-planning.

"I have an idea, but I feel that we need to discuss it here before we leave for home when the summer officially starts."

Pressing her hands on the desk, and seating herself opposite, Rias instigated her approval to continue.

"I'm all ears to your suggestion, Sona. Let's hear it."

* * *

In the basement owned by the Father assigned to this town, I, **the [Christibefürworten]** sat upon the benches, contemplating on how I did not enjoy my first term at this academy.

It was bad enough that the Japanese start their school years in April rather than September unlike most countries do. But, they even had the gall to assign work to be completed over the summer. For the lord's sake, why do they believe that work for school should be done over holidays and breaks? I mean, we're still only high school students, in our first year as well. It seems they don't know the notion of 'cutting some slack.'

Plus, there was just so much one who serves the church can take having to hide from devils lurking in every corridor for the sake of maintain peace and sanity. But, the whole situation was in itself an insane jest.

Back in my hometown of Nuremburg, I served in the Lord's name from the day I could walk. I cut down and brought his wrath upon those that defiled his holy name and that in his son's, the Lord Jesus Christ our saviour. Sinners, pagans, and especially demons. They all knew what it meant to cower in fear for turning a blind eye to the words of the Lord and his followers.

I never held sympathy for those who begged for forgiveness on their last breaths. It disgusts me to think that they now choose to repent when they are close to death and that by apologising before the sword that they will be granted salvation.

It is unlike here, however, where I fear that my skills are becoming blunt without anything to keep the steel tempered. Though I do spar with the Father every day, he holds back and I feel like I am losing my efficiency when I clash swords with him. But, I will refuse adamantly to thank those devils occupying this land for efficiently taking care of their own kind that trespass here to cause chaos to their own accord.

Even if it may be God's will that I suffer this, surely this is the work of those devil's also that I'm am being lumped with such a work load. I barely had a decent grasp on writing the oriental language and its three different character systems let alone how I managed to learn to speak it close to fluently as I could. They expect me, a foreign student to write an essay on the subject of this town's history which requires me to not only be able to read correctly, but also to write and reproduce it in my own handwriting correctly also.

Perhaps I should thank the Lord's mercy also for placing me in the lowest group so that I may have the smallest expectancy in work for my year. I am also most grateful that he allowed my pair to attach to neither of the 'perverted duo' who constantly leer in my direction like hounds in heat.

"Are you feeling well, my child?"

To the sound of the Father's concern for my well being, I snapped from my daze. He had been standing behind me the entire time apparently and looking down at me from the aisle. I stood immediately and responded positively to mask my earlier thoughts.

"Yes. I am in excellent condition, Father Mertens."

Though he continued to smile, he shook his head as if he was saying that my answer was wrong. To which his response confirmed that it was.

"I meant to your state of mind, not of your body. For a mind plagued with disasters is one which is blind the disasters before their very eyes."

When said that word, I knew that he must be withholding something from me to be giving such an encrypted meaning in his words."

"What disasters do you speak of?

He gave a small nod, but then walked off with his back turned to me while he tended to the small shrine at the front. Small things like dusting the crucifix and the statue of the Virgin Mary and her child kept this dark place blessed with God's presence. As he did so, he continued to tell me of what he was referring to.

"When the Devil Kings of Gremory and Sitri leave this place on their own volition with their Queens, I see there will be a power vacuum. The devils that remain become our serpents without their heads, and cannot strike nor entangle when they are blind. That, is when those who have lost the Lord's graces will strike."

I was more shocked to hear about this. Though I had heard from some of the girls in my class that it was true that the academy organised a trip to Kyoto for the second years every single year, it never clicked that this would include the heiresses of Gremory and Sitri also.

As I heard that, I realised that his words made sense; sure it was beneficial on our part not to skulk around under the gazes of those two, it wasn't only us who stood to gain from them leaving in that span of a week. While we couldn't do anything legally against them, they would be vulnerable none the less without their masters guiding them. That would be easier targets to the fallen ones lurking in our church upon the slopes.

"And how do you know of this?" I asked, despite having already deduced the answers from him based on my own observations. ". . . Then, if that's the case, whose side do w-"

He raised his hand, and I stopped mid-sentence.

"It matters not a side, because we are still not at war. Whoever wins doesn't grant us any gain. I only fear for those unfortunate innocents who may get caught up in their struggle."

I allowed for his words to sink deep into my soul, as I turned to look to the window that allowed the moon to shine into our place of worship, and prayed that God would find it in his kindness to save those inevitably caught up in our struggles when it comes to pass.

Gremory. Sitri. Maybe even Phenex. Perhaps at least one of them will know what to do for this situation when it comes to pass.

* * *

"So that's how you got your name."

"I definitely wouldn't lie to you about that."

In Apartment Block 8, Room 10 in New Kuoh district, I **Hyoudou Issei** , was currently trying to finish my summer homework with Yuuto before the school break even started.

The reason for this was not that we didn't have time to do it during the summer, but that we were not necessarily going to be able to see each other to complete it during that time. We were on our fifth straight day, but it had been a difficult time since we both had our own separate duties to our respective families and all that unlucky mess that meant that while we both got a long, it was a complicated situation to be in.

Not to mention that during school hours, the girls seemed to flock to Yuuto like bees to pollen. Their continuous presence buzzing around didn't allow for us to get too much done in either breaks.

Somehow, we managed to find the appropriate amount of time during these last days to get it completed before the weekend inevitably arrived, but all those nights putting work into it was not the nicest of experiences I wish to endure again.

And, if i'm honest, I was actually happy to be paired with him on this assignment and not one of the 'normal' students; I don't think they would have been quite so understanding if I had to tell them that my hours needed to work on this were extremely flexible. I would have thought they would have gotten infuriated if I said I was unable to work on it with them during the summer and wanted to finish it in a single week while school was still on.

I had half a thought that pairing myself with Kiba could have been a fixed by someone who had more authority in this school. Possibly vice president Shitori.

Not that I believed Rias Gremory would have given a damn about this sort of thing, especially for my case.

"You are definitely not lying to me, are you?"

"I swear by the Four Great Satan, Issei. Buchou literally named me after Gokuhoshi."

For our summer project, each group of two were assigned to complete a written presentation on a period of history of Kuoh and the island of Oyashi. While Kiba and I would probably have excelled in the mythological side of the island's origin, we were given instead the founding of the Oyashi clan who ruled the province from neighbouring Shoibu during the Sengoku period.

The first daimyou of the Oyashi clan was Oyashi Gokuhoshi (親知 玉星, 1436-1471) who founded the clan in 1465 supposedly after receiving the blessing of Byakko, the White Tiger of the West, who gave him the sword necessary to conquer the ruling lords of his neighbours, including Shuiro Tsugutsuki (朱色 継月), the ruler of Kuoh at the time. What was most interesting was that he changed his name after the conquest of the Oyashi Province to Gokuhoshi, and that his name before that was Oyashi Kibahoshi (親知 牙星), and Kiba claimed that Rias gave him his surname from him.

I of course was skeptical of this claim since the daimyou's 'Kiba' (牙) was different to his 'Kiba' (木場), and that was clearly apparent, but Yuuto wasn't willing to let this one slip by when he pointed this out.

Though he wouldn't tell me what his original name was, so I never pressed him to forcing himself to expose his previous name. Though I have said I had my suspicions that he wasn't quite Japanese since he looked like he at least had some European descent in him, so his name might be Western.

After a while I realise that this was getting us nowhere, so I opted to just to end it here.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to distract us like this. We both need this done."

"Of course" he said, and so we left it for a while before he then asked me a question of his own. "So, what are you doing this summer? Something fun?"

"Well, I'm going home essentially. I have a month without duties as far as I'm aware of-. I-I-it's not that I didn't think we could have done this work during that time. I-it's just that . . . w-well . . ."

I hesitated because I mentioned that the first month of summer was basically free for me. But it was for good reason;

I was a little embarrassed to say this to him, the reincarnation of Giacomo Casanova himself who was surrounded by close to every girl in school of an entire quarter of every single day, but I was hoping to be able to spend my time with Ravel if at all possible. While I was unsure why it was at the time, and it wasn't just the homesickness of being away from the home I grew up in for the last six years, it had been a bigger adjustment since unlike in my many months at a time in the Valley of Dragons with Tannin-ojiisama, I hadn't had that much communication with Ravel since the present she sent me for my birthday back in April. It was now July.

I wasn't sure if she was going to be busy during that time as I had before we finished it tonight, but I had hoped that we could spend at least a week of that doing something . . . I'm sure how to say this, but just something for the two of us.

But that wasn't the only reason however.

While I did consider the option that there may have been time to do our work during that month, It was just that I didn't think it would be to either of our benefits to . . . well, considering the tensions as of recently between his master and my mistresses' brother, it was probably better that we didn't try to make it worse.

It sounds ridiculous, but the emotional tension in this easily outweighs the logical means. I think I'm just rambling on excuses at this point to my explanation.

I was lucky that Yuuto seemed to understand what I was trying to insinuate and caught on to it before I said anything potentially bad.

"It's not your fault. It's just that-"

"Forget I said anything" I insisted, waving my hand in accordance. "Let's just get this done so that discussion such as these don't need to be brought up again."

"I'll drink to that, Issei-san."

Just as we went to buckle down the last pages of our work, a blazing red light erupted from behind Yuuto's kitchen counter and then the door to his fridge opened up. From our angle on the living room floor crouched in front of the table, it had appeared that it was all done by magic.

"I didn't know that getting a drink from the fridge was as easy as that."

"T-that wasn't my doing, unfortunately."

As I pressed the joke, Yuuto rebuke it with a smile that looked like it should have sweat dropped alongside it. He then turned his attention to the kitchen and shot his voice over to where the fridge door was being closed following several rummaging clatters of glass and packets.

"Don't you have snacks at your place, Koneko?"

As the fridge door close, a figure only just shorter than the counter emerged from the kitchen with a glass of diet cola and two packets of what I assumed were crisps that she must have taken from the cupboards close by. She was wearing the black and white sailor inspired school uniform of Kuoh Academy's middle school division, but had at some point taken her shoes and socks off, because her feet were bare. White hair that was slightly a mess cut short to her between her chin and collarbone, with two distinctive black cat faces round hair clips fixed to either side. She also had the brightest amber eyes I had ever seen, like those cat's eyes you find on the roads at night.

I knew who this was after spotting the red mark of Gremory around her left hand; Toujou Koneko, Rias' Rook. Though this had been the first time I had seen her properly, I was aware through Kiba that she frequented their club room often during their breaks to each a large variety of sweets and other foods.

How such a small body could possible consume those two packets of crisps to herself and still retain such a small figure was beyond my understanding. But, then again I wouldn't want to say that out loud. A Rook with a concentrated punch from a smaller area can be quite deadly upon contact.

Before even choosing to answer Yuuto, she opened a packet and dug her hand into it.

"I ran out."

"Is that so? But you didn't need to sneak into my fridge to get a snack or two, you know?"

She didn't answer that one. She then proceeded to walk towards the sofas behind us while munching on her handful.

We just ended up staring at her while she finished her mouthful monotonously.

"*gulp* . . . I'll watch."

"You know you don't have to. We're just finishing our work before the summer starts. You can take the sweets with you if you like. I can always buy some more another day."

"I'll eat them here. And, I'll watch."

After realising that she wasn't going to leave no matter what he said, Yuuto resided himself to sitting back down and continue with our work. However, and for whatever reason it was, after three hours had passed since we first started this work, I thought it would be amusing to insinuate something.

"Is she the type of girl you're into?"

He stopped work immediately and looked at me.

"I'm sorry, Issei-san. Could you repeat that please?"

I too put down my pen before I repeated what I said to him.

"I asked if Toujou-san the kind of girl that interests you?"

"Excuse me?"

Despite Yuuto clearly showing some slight protests to the idea, our kouhai sitting on the sofa on the other hand appeared to be largely unaffected by the statement. The sound of her crunching and chewing continued to fill the room until she was finished with her mouthful, which then brought the room to silence. I waited till she started to take a sip of her drink before I pressed on with my earlier observations.

"Well, just from sitting next to you for six hours every weekday for three months, I have noticed that the way you talked to all those girls that continue to swoon to your side and the how you talk to Toujou-san are two entirely different tones."

I can't recall exactly why this would have been a funny thing to bring up, but it was all true what I was saying; despite being completely engrossed in girls daily, he never once went along with it. His most common response was to make a polite reply, a comforting smile, sometimes a formal excuse that was still friendly and opening, but he would never appear to accept any of them. There was a particular reason why they were starting to call him a Prince. He was just so civil, so polite, and all the girls fawned over his attention.

Having been sitting next to him, I knew first-hand what it looked like from up close. But I was always curious as to why he would never try to make a real connection with any of them. At first I thought he could have been weighing it all since the girls were obviously going to start tearing apart whoever supposedly won his favour. But, as time went on, it seemed that he didn't have any favourite. No, he continued to talk to them all in the same manner like there was no special person among them.

I questioned to myself whether it was because he was aware he was now a devil and a long-term relationship with a human girl was not something to be considered since the lifespan difference was too great. But, that was over complicating the situation.

Yuuto response seemed reasonable, but I was having too much fun to let it up.

"We're in the same club, and we're also in the same peerage too" he replied with his usual smile. "It's only natural that we would talk a little more informally around each other than I would to our fellow classmates."

"That maybe so" I stated, "but you don't talk that way towards Himejima-senpai either. This is actually the only time I have ever seen you speak to anyone this loosely other than me."

There was a short pause where nothing but Koneko's bags rustling made any noise, until he made his counterattack.

"And what would you have to say if I said that it now sounds like you're insinuating that I might be into you more than into those girls."

"Huh?"

I was not prepared for a retaliation like that. Suddenly caught off guard by his statement, I could have choked on my own drink had it not been that I had been inches from sampling a sip.

"Wait, where did that come from?"

Yuuto did nothing for a while except hold his expression as if he was enjoying my reaction. As I sat back up and recomposed myself he made his reply.

"I'm only bouncing off of what you're saying. It's in your words, not mine."

All that time, I couldn't help but wonder how he was able to keep such a straight face through that entire time. I was nearly falling over by this sort of topic, so I tried to avoid it completely.

"C-can we just get back to work now before we end up losing track of time. Please?"

"Right. I need to use my bathroom for a moment, so I'll be back soon."

After my almost pathetic response, Yuuto decided that it was now the right time to drop the subject and leave the room. After working on this for straight hours, the most we'd had in a row this week, a break was probably well deserved at this point.

But with him now absent from the room. That only left me alone with-

"Jii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii."

. . . the small white haired Rook with crumbs on her lips staring at me. I'm not looking, but I can feel those large yellow eyes burning into the back of my head.

"Jii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii."

"Please, stop staring" I tried protesting. But I failed.

"Jii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii~ii."

* * *

 **?**

"Your first assignment has finally been brought through. You should feel grateful that the higher ups acknowledged your presence."

"Like I need you to tell me of my self-worth. I could kill devils twenty times easier than you can."

"Strays don't count. Especially when you've been picking off the C-ranks that skulk all over this island. You're nothing more than an upstart who's getting too big for his boots."

"Just tell me what they say."

"Well, well. Your time has come. You get to start slaughtering real devils very soon."

"Alone? When?"

"After summer. When the two heiresses and their Queen go to Kyoto."

"Right. I see, so I get to pick off the legs while the heads are out of town."

"Just do as you're told, Sa-ku-ya-ma-kun."

"Don't you spit that hideous human name at me, Caraviel! That, disgusting thing you forced me to assume. And, just what do you think you'll be doing while I'm taking on six devils on my own?"

"I've been given bigger fish to fry; Lord Cimalon has allowed me the honours of disposing the priest and his underling."

"Well, how's that fair?"

"You dislike hunting devils?"

"No, it's just-"

"Our light spears may work on devils, but to normal humans, it doesn't quite have the same effect as watching their heads shoot from their necks if you hit the lungs just right. Plus, I have to deal with killing them before they can start calling in more exorcists."

"Well, I still don't like it. You'll get the easier job-"

"And you get to kill six devils in one strike without having to fear that their masters will retaliate quickly enough before the jobs done."

"Yes, I see now. I get to leave a nice pile of corpses for the younger sisters of Lucifer and Leviathan to find. Ooh, this is making me tingle thinking about it."

* * *

 _The end of Spring came,_

 _The gap becomes wider still_

 _For my wanted jewel._

 _Doves, Crows and the Bats._

 _All sides stand to lose this fight,_

 _but who lights this fuse?_

 _The future remains_

 _a precarious thing, lurking_

 _behind the shadows._

* * *

 **Bonus Content: Worldbuilding the Town of Kuoh and its surroundings**

 _Hello, Everyone. It's Alek in case you didn't know._

 _I was originally going to incorporate this into the main story by Issei and Kiba's school project, but then it became too overly complicated that I decided to take it all and move it here so that it could be viewed without obstructing the story._

 _I came up with the idea of mapping Kuoh when I realised that I needed to visualise it better when I was explaining where and how Issei was getting places. I had no idea where it could go since there is no pre-existing Kuoh that I could base it on, nor was there any space that would allow for it to fit anywhere in these times._

 _I was rereading the DX.1 Life 6: Let's go to the Onsen, where Ishibumi had actually put in a journey from his fictional town to the real onsens at Izu, which when tallying the time he writes down it apparently took was around three and a half hours according to Issei's POV._

 _I then used Google Maps to calculate the rough area it would take with modern Japanese driving to form a rough radius of anywhere between three and a half to four hours could place Kuoh. I then settled on somewhere in the Chiba Prefecture since it was closer to Tokyo rather than Kyoto so the school trips long journey wouldn't be messed with, and also because it's Ishibumi's home prefecture._

 _I still couldn't find a good place anywhere, so I ended up taking a leap out of the Rev. Awdry's book and created a fictional island just off the coast where I could place it all without it obstructing what already existed. It is fiction after all, so adding in something fake shouldn't be a big deal._

 _After a while I managed to compile a small history and geography based on what I thought would be interesting, and this is the result._

 _I just want to say that if anyone in the future wants to borrow this as an idea for their own visions of Kuoh, then they may. Just at least acknowledge that I put quite a bit of work into this is all I ask._

 _Enjoy._

* * *

 **Location and History: Kuoh, Oyashi Isl. Chiba Prefecture, Japan (N. 34.97, W. 139.71)**

The town Kuoh is on the Southside of the island of Oyashi (親知, 96.189km2), part of the Chiba Prefecture, off the coast from Mt. Haisen, nr. Tateyama at the mouth of Tokyo Bay. There was a single active volcano known as Mt. Kuoh (駒王山, _Ku_ _ō-san_ ) which in ancient times stood atop of a small island of ± 9.8 km2 of the same name, surrounded by an archipelago of five smaller islands, Kadoshu (門州, ± 1900m2), Inushu (犬州, ± 200m2), Usushu (臼州, ± 250m2), Isarashu (小州, ± 500 m2), and Chishu (乳州, ± 800m2).

Local Mythology states that the island was created after Izanagi beheaded Kagu-tsuchi after his birth resulted the death of his wife Izanami. From his wisdom teeth that were still attached to the brain arose the volcano of Kuoh and his teeth became the five islands surrounding it, with only Chishu being made from his pre-dentures or milk teeth falling into a single pile.

From Mt. Kuoh came the local goddess of hearth and fertility, Irori-no-Kokoro (囲炉裏心, _Hearth of the Heart_ ), the second of six deities that arose from the islands; the destruction goddess of criminals, Oborofuji (朧富士), the evening star Yamyoujou (夜明星), goddess of flowers Kusahana (草花), god of thunder Raiten (雷天), and goddess of fireflys, Hotaru (火垂). It is up for debate whether Oborofuji and Irori were once the same goddess by two different aspects since both have been labelled as the goddess of the volcano, but now it is generally assumed they are two separate beings. Irori continues to be celebrated as the most important goddess to the locals.

Though they are believed to be the children of the deceased Kagu-tsuchi, local legends entail five myths about the gods of Oyashi;

The creation of the kami, with each kami rising from their respective tooth. Oborofuji is in pain due to the nature of wisdom teeth, explaining the active nature of the volcano, Irori from the incisors, Yamyoujou the canines, Kusahana the bicuspids, Raiten the molars and Hotaru the milk-teeth.

 **Rokuasa** (六朝, _Morning of the Sixth_ ) also called **The Festival of Three Sisters** celebrates the transition of the seasons during the summer when in myth Irori, Yamyoujou and Kusahana all meet again, and bring celebrations during the warmest time of the year. The date for this festival is always the 15th of June starting from the morning and lasting traditionally till sundown, but recent years have pushed it till midnight for the sake of entertainment in the evening.

 **Yakou** (夜光, Night of Light) also known as **The Festival of Fireflies** is another local festival, but if it is raining on the night, then it is said that Raiten is looking for his sister Hotaru who is supposedly lost trying to make it to the festival alone, which is why everyone must carry a small light with them in the hopes to helping her find her way home. If it doesn't rain, then they enjoy the festival together while the two gods walk among the crowds with them. The date for this festival is set on the first new moon of October, but has been altered to fit weekends in recent years.

A story of Yamyoujou attempting to elope with Raiten, which he resoundingly rejected, started a contest to see who could control the seas, only to end with Yamyoujou losing most of her island to the ocean as a result. This became the origin as to why the island was prone to easy flooding, so locals would often write 'Ai' (愛, _love_ ) unto little plaques of wood and leave them floating in the water in the hopes that Raiten would cease his fury and force the waters to retreat.

And a final myth about Oborofuji destroying their island chain to create a single island, seemingly killing herself in the process. Raiten called the storm to put the fire out. Yamyoujou cleared the sky of the smoke and clouds later. Hotaru brought light back to the island while Kusahana brought the flowers back, which begun to repopulate the land in flora and fauna. But ultimately, it was Irori who made it habitable again, and allowed for humans to reoccupy the land.

The volcano collapsed in on itself becoming a caldera, so the name Kuoh was later used for the main settlement to the south that arose years later. The rain made a lake in the basin, which then created five rives flowing from its peak into the Toyko Bay; the Rivers Kasaguchi (笠淵小川, _Kasaguchi-ogawa_ ), Rinko (隣戸小川, _Rinko-ogawa_ ), Shiromizu (白水小川, _Shiromizu-ogawa_ ), Okanoma (丘間小川, _Oka-no-Ma-ogawa_ ), and Kouharu (広緬小川, _Kōharu-ogawa_ ).

Irori later brought their sister back to life, but put her to sleep beneath an island in the lake, where she could be in peace and without pain. Her slumber heats the water, and her slumber becomes disturbed occasionally due to earthquakes, so lava sometimes leaks out from time to time.

The kami soon lost favour in the years when the country started uniting, with especially Raiten sometimes being compared to or even merged into the more popular deity Suzanoo, etc. But it is Irori who remains enshrined on the island, with a small (now abandoned) temple in the Old Kuoh district to the north, and a larger shrine erected on the island where she and all her siblings remain dedicated to by a small community of monks.

During the Sengoku period, the Island was part of the territory of the Oyashi Clan (親知氏, _Oyashi-shi_ ), where they set up a small castle in modern day Shoibu that has now been destroyed. The island was renamed Oyashi after them, and became the Oyashi Province during the wartimes. The Oyashi later became subservient to the Awa Satomi Clan who ruled the Kozuke and Awa Provinces that make up most of the modern Chiba Prefecture in 1501 after the Battle of Yabou in which the daimyou Oyashi Gokumaru (親知 玉丸) was defeated in battle, leaving his son Oyashi Gokubochi (親知 玉點) to surrender to Satomi Shigeru (里見 成義) and became his and his families subordinates, even when they started following Oda Nobunaga and later Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The symbol of the Oyashi clan was the character 'Gyoku' (玉, _jewelled general_ ) in black upon white with accompanying symbols that resemble an archaic tiger's head. The supposed origin coming from Byakko (White Tiger of the West) who appeared to the first ancestor of the Oyashi clan, Oyashi Kibahoshi (親知 牙星), who later changed his name to Oyashi Gokuhoshi (親知 玉星) in honour of its divine appearance.

The volcanic activity of swallowing the islands allowed for the settlement of Kuoh among others to be built up upon more flatlands than most of the lands in Japan, and was also fertile from the volcanic soil, but was prone to flooding as it was close to sea-level, which didn't get resolved until late into the 19th century. The Town of Kuoh (駒王町, _Ku_ _ō-ch_ _ō_ ) emerged from the south side of the volcano and gradually absorbed into the smaller villages south of it until it reached the sea.

There are three other villages on the island that have survived to this day; Inato (否途村, _Inato-mura_ ) to the northeast via a small road where a port connects the straits between it and the rest of Chiba at Sunosaki. Shoibu (塩部村, _Shoibu-mura_ ) to the northwest relies on fishing, and performs a semi-regular boat journey across to Jokoji in the Kanagawa Prefecture. And lastly, Ryuu'un (流雲村, _Ry_ _ūun-mura_ ) to the west which is mostly rural, but is slowly getting absorbed gradually by his larger neighbour. The districts of Kyuuin (休院, _Ky_ _ūin_ ) and Yabou (矢暴, _Yab_ _ō_ ) to the south and east are the remnants of two former villages that have become integrated into Kuoh over the last half a century.

There is an old fort in what is now Shoibu where the Oyashi daimyous of the Sengoku period originally placed a castle on the island in order to stand guard of the Tokyo Bay. It was briefly reoccupied and rebuilt partially out of concrete by the Japanese military during WWII, but was later left to its own devices in the last years of the war. The Allied occupation forces also chose not to reoccupy it as a base due to better strategic points in Kanto.

Kuoh is by far the largest settlement on the island (± 25.950km2 as last recorded in 2005), as mentioned previously, owning nine districts encompassing it;

1\. **Old Kuoh** (駒王先, _Ku_ _ō-saki_ ) to the north on the side of the volcano, and full of the most surviving architecture from the Tokugawa Shogunate period. The early and now abandoned shrine to Irori is located here in the centre, as are most of the earlier families to its east, including the burial site of the Daimyou Oyashi Gokuyotsu (親知 玉四), and of his younger brother Oyashi Gokuhichi (親知 玉七) who both were mortally wounded at the First Battle of Kounodai in 1538, but couldn't be brought all the way home to modern day Shoibu before dying of their wounds.

2\. **New Kuoh** (駒王今次, _Ku_ _ō-konji_ ) at the base of the volcano and the largest district. The town hall and most of its governmental buildings are located here. Most of the more recent family graves have been placed in this area since the 1950's. The Jesuit church is located here to the northwest atop the slope, but has been abandoned since the late 1990's.

3\. **Central Kuoh** (駒王中央, _Ku_ _ō-chūō_ ) at the centre where the Oyashi train line runs to the western side of the island. There is one railway station in this district simply labelled as "Kuoh Central" (駒王・セントラル) here built in the very heart of the town after the old station in New Kuoh was closed down when the uphill climb was deemed to unsafe for the rail following a minor landslide in the 1960's. Commerce and modern technology are sold in shops in this district.

4\. **Kyuuin** (休院) to the direct south by the sea where most of the fishing goods are bought and sold daily. Originally a separate village to itself until the local governor incorporated the land into a district of the larger Kuoh in the 1980's. Today the shopping markets are frequented here on a daily basis along the main high street.

5\. **Kasarin** (笠隣, formerly Kasaguchi-Rinko) to the south east located at the mouth of the small Rivers Kasaguchi and Rinko. There are small farms alongside the banks, but it had started to begin urbanising in recent years. There is a single concrete and brick bridge built over the mouth of the rivers along the sea road in 1972 that connects the two halves together, along with some smaller more natural looking bridges from the 1920's-50's further upstream.

6\. **Yabou** (矢暴) to the West where most of the dockyard and shipping of commercial goods is met and either sent north to Inato or directly into Tokyo. Like Kyuuin, it too was originally an independent village till it became a district of Kuoh in the 1980's. Most of it's coastline is now a mesh of concrete and steel filled with piers, shipping containers and cranes used to unload the large ships that make port here.

7\. **East Kuoh** (駒王東, _Ku_ _ō-azuma_ ) in the North East occupies the smallest territory having been halted by the more ragged terrain and contours. A single road is all that connects Kuoh and the rest of the island to the port at Inato and thus to the rest of the Chiba Prefecture.

8\. **West Kuoh** (駒王西, _Ku_ _ō-nishi_ ) is still expanding, almost rivaling in size with New Kuoh, and is close to bordering the outskirts of the village of Ryuu'un. The Oyashi train line running from Kuoh is currently in the process of opening a station here shortly before reaching Ryuu'un, which as of right now is nothing more than a small stop for select times of the day only. Kuoh Academy and its surrounding lands are built to its most easterly boundary.

9\. **Irori-no-Tochi** (囲炉裏土地, lit. Irori's Land) is the newest addition, encompassing the land between the District of Kyuuin to its east, West Kuoh to its north, and the boundaries of Ryuu'un to its west. It take its name from the geyser up its slope where Irori was supposedly born from, and where the warm waters deep below the surface continue to heat the surrounding slopes. It remains a small tourist site, but is frequented more by the locals than by travelers. There have been little development in the area except for small enclaves forming to its boundaries.

* * *

 **Omake X: No More Time**

 **Alek:** (writing and working) . . . and how about here, we add in the conclusion for the second arc to begin around the time this happens. I think going passed that point would drag it out.

 **Rose:** (typing every note down and organising the events) Slow down! I can't manage with all these changes you keep making so drastically.

 **Alek:** (looking up briefly) Hey, I've been doing my work from University like you wanted. The least you can do is not complain when we're doing this because you wanted to. (spots her with her cookies) At least **User:** **bk42bk42** said you could eat those. (shudder at the remembrance of his distaste for their flavour) He even burst into here personally just to say that you could eat them. (puzzled) _I still have no idea how he managed to get in here though._

 **Rose:** (eating) . . . But, *gulp* it was your idea to do this, not mine. I only agreed because I was feeling depressed. (reminiscing) Speaking of which, you weren't always doing work for University. You disappeared for a whole day without sitting at your desk. What were you doing?

 **Alek** : (presenting the ray gun he also got from **bk42bk42** ) I was using this very generous gift I got last week. I mean, when you have both the ability to gender-swap and cat-girl transformation abilities (crying) *sniff* it's too beautiful not to use on other people.

 **Rose:** (realising what he has said) W-w-w-what did you do?

 **Alek:** (smiling wickedly) Let's just say that while I definitely got my albums fill of pictures, _Izumi_ was by far the most worthwhile vict- I mean targ-, . . . I mean . . . _participant_ to it's effects, ~nyan~. (laughs maniacally)

 **Rose:** (startled) . . . (snaps out of it when a bang goes off) What was that noise?!

 **Alek:** (stops laughing and becomes curious) hmm . . . P-Party poppers?

 **Rose:** Huh? (asking) Why would they suddenly go off like that?

 **Alek:** Hmm, well I did set them up for when we hit **30** **0 favourites** and **350 follows**. But that can't be right, it's only been . . . (looks at his calendar) . . . Oh Shit! (get's up and runs away out of sight)

 **Rose:** (shocked) Huh? Wait! Author-san! (looks around to realise no one else is around) And, i'm alone again. (ponders) I wonder where Issei, Ravel, Asia and Xenovia are? You'd think we'd run into them at some point. (reminiscing about the earlier conversation, then sweatdrops) Then again, Alek is pretty cruel when he gets a new toy, or so it appears to be so. (notices a piece of paper on the ground) Huh? What's this;

『To **User:Dragon_Rider_66:** Sorry if you were disappointed. I have also sent you the link to where you can find Volume 22.

To **User:RangerElk76:** False Alarm! I repeat: False Alarm! Only two of the three members are here. Cancel the Drill! Repeat: Cancel the Drill!

To **User:NinjaFang1331:** Thank you.

To **User:RedSS:** Don't worry, she wasn't may favourite kettle of fish when she first appeared for me either. I have also sent you some pictures of her after a couple of zaps from the ray gun **bk42bk42** gave me. You're welcome.

To **User:ferodile:** Freed is not canonically from Denmark, but his surname has the "-sen" suffix at the end which is the Scandinavian equivalent to the English "-son" like in "Wilson", "Robinson", etc. I also chose Denmark because of his first name, which could be shortened from "Friedrich" (free-DRIK, German form of "Frederick").

To **User:AcclaimingTR:** Thank you, I will consider that.

To **User:bk42bk42:** Don't worry, I'll eventually get round to Rias. I will personally send you a picture I made earlier. _And please teleport in anytime_.

To **User:Dr4cul:** I think we just became best friends. Nightcore, I don't know what it is, but some songs just sound better being sped up. Oh, and I will keep on top of my University work, don't you worry. But, I will also not leave all of you hanging.

To **Guest (1):** Thank you. I just tried to think of 'what kind of familiar would Issei get since he was a devil earlier than in canon. Since a cockatrice is a bird-like dragon, I thought it would be an appropriate touch and it was also something different.

To **User:HelpfulNudge:** Thank you, but I prefer writing it how I have been doing thus far because I find it easier. Besides, most light novels write speech this way, so I don't see that as a problem if I mimic it to an extent.

To **User:CaptainToast321:** Sorry you didn't like it, but I can't redo it because that would mean pretending my previous mistakes and improvement didn't exist.

To **User:ahsoei:** Thank you and sorry at the same time.

To **User:SSJ3_Kyuubi_Gohan:** Sorry that you were disappointed.

To **User:JLOC:** Thank you.

and To **User:StillReflections:** Read Volume 12, Life -1, Part 4.  Balor (not Gasper) curb stomps a Longinus wielder whose powers were stronger than Boosted Gear or even Issei at this point in the series.』

 **Rose:** Hmm? (reads the small print on the bottom) Look. Behind. You? (turns around, only to be met with a beam of light) Gahh! Wh-wh-what was tha- (another light separate from the first flashes) What happnyaned-? (looks up and realises she now has cat ears, then goes bright red) W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-what happenyaned. Y-you promised you wouldn't use that thing on me, Alek-sanyan. (miserable) _I can't even make the right forms of speech while incorporating cat noises in. I'm so embarassed._

 **Ravel:** (angrily appears with flames protruding from her palms, _with cat ears_ ) Where The Hell Is He!?

 **Asia:** (covering the top of her head, looking slightly flushed) Please. I don't want to have these ears anymore, Alek-san. Their itching me, and then I feel . . . f-f-funny when I scratch them.

 **Xenovia:** Do you want me to scratch them for you, Asia?"

 **Asia:** (Doesn't get enough time to reply) N-no that's alright Xeno- NYAAAAAN!

 **Xenovia:** Izumi-san, will you stroke my ears for me?

 **"Izumi":** (flustered while also confused as to what to do with his new "assets") Stop calling me that. It's still me,  Issei in here, even if I look like a girl now. C-C-Can we just end it here please so the readers don't have to see us like this anymore!

 **Rose:** (using books to cover her head) Yes, I perfectly agree with him. Let's just end it here. (to the audience) Thank you for reading, but be wary that Alek-sama will be still be too busy since he has more work to do.

 **Ravel:** (smiling) And, when we see you next time, we'll be sure to get back at Alek for what he did to us, so look forward till then.

 **Everyone:** Bye-Bye!

 **Xenovia:** (asking) May I stroke your ears now, _Izumi_ -san?

 **"Izumi":** (flustered) Stop calling me that!

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to** **'Dragon Rider 66',** **'RangerElk76',** **'NinjaFang1331',** **'RedSS',** **'bk42bk42',** **'ferodile',** **'AcclaimingTR',** **'Dr4cul',** **'Guest' (1),** **'HelpfulNudge',** **'CaptainToast321',** **'ahsoei',** **'SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan',** **'JLOC', and 'StillReflections' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **Only Two-Three more chapters till we reach the canon timeline, but it will still be a long journey so thanks for sticking it out. In addition, don't expect it to go back to weekly releases until after the second semester finishes around Easter. I do apologise in advance for making you wait further.**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**


	11. Summer Days

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release. Remember when I used to update weekly? I don't either. Let's just get on with it then.**

* * *

Summer break had finally arrived. With school finished for the first term and no work that required completion anymore, I, **Hyoudou Issei** , returned home to the Phenex Household.

"Ys lyjylziz yzs!"

(" _I am home_ ")

"""Lypeheys yseot, Hyoudou-ryles."""

(" _Welcome back, Hyoudou-ryles_ ")

'Ryles' is a suffix equivalent to 'bearer', but was only afforded to those who belonged to a peerage. In Japan, the suffix would be somewhere between -san and -sama. In the West, it would probably be somewhat equivocal with perhaps someone of a higher position in a company, but not one that you personally worked under or worked for.

It's difficult to really say without drawing out a diagram, but basically it's just a higher way of saying 'Mr.' without being too formal.

After expressing my greeting with the sixteen footmen and maids that had been awaiting my entrance, I walked forward along the entrance hall towards the open space at the bottom of the grand staircase. Whilst all the servants went back to their duties, I continued to walk as I approached Sebast, and while I was appreciative that he took the necessary time to greet me also, he wasn't the one I had hoped would have been waiting for my return from school.

Placing one hand across his body, he dipped his head slightly forward before retracting his posture and fixing both arms behind his back.

"Welcome back, Mr Hyoudou. How was your time the overworld?"

"Relatively quiet, thank you Sebast." There was a pause in the midst of my sentence, before I decided to bring up my obvious question for him. "Is Lady Ravel here?"

He didn't answer immediately. It looked as if he was about to clear his throat, however he made sound before his answer came.

"I'm afraid that the young mistress is still attending school at this time. In addition, she will be boarding for most of this year in order to prepare her for her ascent to the human's world come the New Year."

". . . I-I see."

I didn't go to school like she was doing, not that I could of if I asked. I didn't know every detail, but I sort if imagined it was like a usual school, except that the privileged few would be staying on all year round in preparation for the

I know for certain that member of the seventy two pillars and the middle-class extra demons all . But for the low-class that were born and raised, it didn't sound like an option opened to them. Considering the strain of demonic magic that goes into

There wasn't a real difference between a private or public school in the Underworld, considering that there weren't that many children to make that distinction. And, at best, you would be lucky to find five children to be the same age. And from those five, the luckiest you could find them to have been born from a high-class family would be two.

I almost stuttered when I tried to restart the conversation.

"And, w-when shall she return for the holidays?"

"The next month as to my knowledge."

No good. I was already scheduled to return to Tannin-ojiisama's training the next month after I had finished whatever were to be my summer assignments for this month. At best, there may had been the weekend, but that was solely dependent on when the school decided to assign the beginning of summer.

I was not so fortunate this year, . . . unfortunately.

'Was it really going to be like this still?' That was what I continued think, but . . . I can't really say for certain whether I was surrendering to the inevitable, or if I was denying that another outcome was even a possibility. Regardless, there was nothing I could do about this situation. I had no control to dictate how governance and politics are run. I was not aiming for a role behind a desk, not when I was already with my own duties to my King.

Even, if she was not going to be present during the same periods as I.

How could I describe it? This feeling of being at a loss. A set of carriages without a locomotive to lead me down the rails, and left stationary on the mainline. Mayhaps I was too accustomed to being led and directed, that now I was back here I was feeling . . . I can't word it correctly. Abandoned?

No.

I was certain that the disappointment I was feeling in that moment was more than just feeling astray. Not the same, but it was similar then as well. During the Winter's mass. After she had left my side. It was a different sort of feeling, and yet I couldn't help but make the comparisons like they were identical.

It was a shame that I was still without the right experience to make the correct assumptions at the time. Ddraig had been right to say that I was dense whether the situation had been different in retrospect.

"Is there anything else I may be of help with?"

I took a while before I answered Sebast, but I was easy to reassume into the role of another servant.

"Do I have any duties assigned for this month?"

"None to my knowledge. Is that all, Mr Hyoudou?"

"And, . . . do we have any guests in the house today?"

"None since 10 this morning."

It may have sounded quite rude to be speaking to the head butler of the household, considering that he had been the Phenex clan's employment since the 3rd Marquis' tenure as the Lord Phenex, but as a peerage member under one of the current Lord's family, it was difficult to really say for certain whether I technically outranked him or not.

Unlike the strains that comes with nobility which often demands more of your demonic magic than most other roles in our society, it wasn't uncommon to find people like Sebast in service to the many passing Lords over the many millennias still holding their positions before the new lords were even born.

With no more questions on my thoughts, I expressed my gratitude.

"Thank you."

As I raised my left arm from hearing that confirmation, my true reasoning for asking on that status of quests made more sense when I had an impatient red dragon in my arm who had been sealed within his confines for the past four months.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

With as flash of green, the red gauntlet appeared over my left arm, and the sigh of relief emerged from the jewel atop of my hand.

 **["Ah! Nothing like letting yourself loose after being hindered for so long. I need to stretch out these claws for a little while."]**

I flexed my fingers and my wrist as if to replicate a feeling of stretching out muscles. Though I had not used or even activated my Sacred Gear in long while, the return felt as natural as wearing a glove; a little more awkward when wanting to grab hold of delicate things, but generally my hand has all the same flexibility with a protective layer covering it.

After giving the dragon a while to breathe for himself for a while, in a metaphorical sense of course, I turned back to Sebast.

"If there is anything I can be . . . of help with while Lady Ravel isn't here, then feel free to ask for my assistance."

"I will do just that. I will be off then. Mr Hyoudou. Ddraig."

He walked away after a bow, and then I turned also to . . . I don't know exactly what I had originally planned to do after walking from the conversation. It had appeared that all my efforts to clear my schedule for the first month had been most for nought.

" . . . "

 **[". . . Uh-. I know this wasn't what you hoped it would be-"]**

'Can we speak about this later, please? I just need a walk for a while to clear my head.'

I didn't say it aloud because I didn't want anyone else to hear. Though I wasn't aware if anyone else was currently within a reasonable vicinity to eavesdrop on our private conversations, I felt more secure just by speaking via our thoughts, whilst I caressed the omamori hanging round my neck with my right hand.

['Of course, Partner.']

* * *

"If you continued down this hall, we'll eventually return to the ballroom. However, walking this way will bring us to the main corridor leading towards the front door and the main staircase."

During our King, Lord Riser's visit to his family home, it the designated to me, **Mira** , to show our newest members of his peerage the household.

Though this was not something as part of the duties of breaking new pieces into the mould, our King needed something to keep them distracted for a few minutes while he conducted some small business with his Lord Father and Lady Mother.

His newest pieces, Ile and Nel, were only nine years of age when they were reincarnated, which was little under a month ago. Blue eyes, pale green hair with a small yellow ribbon tying one side of their hair, and matching school gym clothe attires. The only way to tell them apart is that Ile's hair is always tied to her right, while Nel's is to her left. Unlike Ni and Li who are colour coded, it's much more difficult to tell these two twins apart except for this one feature that they are fixated in keeping.

According to the information we heard from Lord Riser's own words, they were without legal guardianship. And both were, should we say, under special care before reincarnation.

We do not dig any deeper than that.

"So, further down this hall leads to an entrance into the dining room, a few of the stairs to the servant's quarters are behind a few of these doors, and continuing up ahea-"

 **["So; do you feel like hitting a few punching bags for a while?"]**

"Ddraig. The last time I did that, you {boosted} and smashed it into a million pieces. I was fourteen years old too."

Much to my surprise, I could hear a couple of familiar voices resonating down the corridor.

Before I could be made aware, the sight of a boy of sixteen with brown hair that split halfway down his neck, with a very large red gauntlet covering his left arm. Being the only servant in service to the House of Phenex to have a dragon-type Scared Gear, it wasn't that hard to deduce who the culprits of disrupting the silence of the manor house were.

Come to mention it, Lord Riser has also mentioned that he was to return to the household today earlier as well.

 **["Well, you've had fun smashing down strays without me. Do you know what it's like to only be an obser-. *ahem* Anyways, I need to properly hit something. A dragon who can't fight is like a bird that can't fly. Or, even fish that can't swim."]**

"Then I'll be sure to introduce you to the ostrich, the emu, and the rhea when we go to the zoo. Heck, if you've got time, we could go to the aquarium to see the red-lipped batfish."

 **["The what?"]**

"It's a creepy sort of fish that walks on the seafloor rather than swims. I~ really don't want to go further in describing it."

 **["Yeesh! And I thought most stray devils were freaky looking creatures. At least they have consistently in their looks; scary thoughts bundled together to make a monster. I don't even know how to respond to that kind of knowledge, Partner."]**

I thought it was about time that the two of them stopped bickering among themselves. Plus, it meant that I didn't have to be the only one babysitting these two. Not that I was thinking of pushing my duty onto the both of them, but doing it alone was starting to run through my head.

"Issei."

I called out, but neither him nor Ddraig seemed to notice.

"Whose that?"

"Can we chop him to pieces, please?"

You could clearly see why this was not a one person job to keep two tomiphilic children under control.

"Issei. Hey, Issei!"

Though we could easily hear both him and Ddraig from down the corridor very clearly, it was still a very long corridor and they were both too busy trying to get to each other's throats to even notice us even as I started waving my arm about just to catch him in the corner of his eyes.

"Hmm? . . . Oh! Good Afternoon, Mira. I didn't know that you were here."

I had to catch my breath a little before replying, though I was a little shocked when I started reworking my brain again. Though I was two years older than he was, this was the first time he had ever been bigger than I was in height, which was the bigger shock. It was also harder to notice from the side how broad his shoulders were until he was now facing my direction.

*ahem* I'm sorry, I was a little distracted for a while.

As soon as I recomposed myself, and cleared my throat, I was finally able to give an explanation to his observation.

"Lord Riser is making use of the practise ground on the lower third floor. He previously had a meeting with the Lord and Lady Phenex, but is now training for his upcoming match."

He returned an almost puzzled look to my statement.

"Training? I didn't expect him of all people to be considering training."

His analyses of the obvious was on the mark, despite how informal he put; it was true that our King didn't usual think of any form of training when preparing for. None of his peerage were ever expected to even improve ourselves either between matches despite some of the obvious implication in improving one's abilities. It just simply wasn't done when it came to the majority of High-class devils. Even when the likes of champions like Roygun Belphegor, Bedeze Abaddon, and even [the Emperor] were all known to have trained for a very long time with not just improving themselves, but also their teams.

I can't answer that correctly, expect by reaffirming that it just wasn't how High-class devils chose to do things. I wish I had a better answer, but there simply isn't.

Issei suddenly twitched his head as if to look behind me, before I remembered that it wasn't just the two of us speaking here in the corridors.

"Oh, please excuse me. It appears we have some new guests."

I turned and stood to the side to allow him to meet the new Pawns.

"Ile and Nel, this is Issei. He's the Pawn to Lord Riser's younger sister. Issei, Ile and Nel. They are the last two of Lord Riser's Pawns."

He placed his left arm behind his back, parallel to the floor, with his back as straight as he could before he leaned slightly forward towards them. He offered them his right hand, thinking that the left hand might be too scary for a couple of girls at their age.

"It's a pleasure to meet the both of you."

But he was definitely wrong to have made that assumption.

"When do we get to slice and dice?"

"Slice and dice is really nice."

I never did apologise to Issei for not preparing him to the twin's more . . . eccentric personalities. Though they were smiling, it was obvious that Issei's responsive smile was halfway trapped between trying to find the humour in their response, and also trying to force it as not to expose a look of . . . well, I don't think I need to describe how someone in that situation should have reacted.

I didn't allow him to daunt on the thought for long as it would only have made this situation that more awkward to walk away from.

"L-Lord Riser asked me to request a spar from you."

His eyes thanked me for snapping him from this uncomfortable situation he walked right into, but at the same time, he didn't seem to be able to decipher just what was being asked of him. It was true what I said earlier about Lord Riser not being one to focus on training. However, this was one of the rare occasions that it came to his mind.

"May I entail as to why?"

"My lord is to have a match with Lord Adramelech in the coming month" I explained to him, "and his Queen happens to be a Ryuujin."

I wasn't of Japanese origin as Issei was, but I was aware that the species was some form of river dragon youkai. Any more details I had on the species was very limited. I guessed based on its name that it had some control over water, which would be disadvantageous to our team who have been focused to primarily use fire-based attacks when it came to magic.

So, under these special circumstances, it was understandable that this time we would need to be extra vigilant and well prepared to meet anything. With a win/lose ratio of 7:1 in official matches only, we needed to make sure it maintained such a good lead for as long as we could in order to reach the bigger games.

"So having me who both Japanese and has a dragon-type Sacred Gear as an opponent would be the most beneficial?"

Blunt, again. But, most likely it was a very accurate assumption as to why Lord Riser had wanted to spar with him. Alhough someone like Tash who could use water-based magic would have been a better choice given the circumstances, he did say that, even as a fleeting suggestion, since he appeared to have time on his hands right now.

"From what I know of this match, it's one that he's going to throw in."

"Oh. Again?"

It was no secret in this household that Lord Riser had deliberately thrown in a match previously to the Lady Yurolibar Amon, during our families attempts to woo her father, the current Lord Amon to join hands with the New Satan faction. He had been bobbing in between for too long and it was starting to get under a few people's skins, shall we say.

I however, am unable to elaborate any further.

"Yes. Apparently. But, even still, he believes that not preparing beforehand will make it look too . . . "

Instead of allowing me to finish that sentence, Issei had already deduced what the real intentions behind this training exercise were for.

"I get; he doesn't want the loss to look so obvious, like he had never expected to win to begin with."

"That is indeed."

He took a moment to think about it, which I expected was one of his more "private" talks with Ddraig, because his face wold twitch with some min do new of emotion despite his mouth not opening once to let words escape.

It maybe took one or possibly two minutes before he nodded his head and then his sights turned back towards me.

"When do we begin?"

* * *

It was midday on our first day back at the Gremory Household. With the Lord and Lady Gremory out to visit the relatives with Millicas, and Maou Sirzechs was spending his time catching up on the work he had attempted to skive off from finishing under Grayfia's watchful eyes, there was only I, **Himejima Akeno** , along with Rias and the rest of our adorable kouhais left in the whole estate.

As we speak, Kiba-kun is returning for a few spars with his sensei, the legendary Okita Souji, Knight of Two to Maou Sirzechs. Koneko-chan was either alternating between the gymnasium or the kitchen, but I wouldn't pry to how she spends her first night back. And as for Gya-cha . . . arara, I mean Gya-kun, you could probably expect to find him back in his little corner of the room in that cardboard box of his. I can't criticise our best contractor on his free time either. Ufufu.

As for Rias and I, we were in her fourth bedroom, the one with a little less Japanese memorabilia than the first three, while she continued to debate our options with Sona for the plan for when we second-years will be gone to Kyoto, whose hologram was sitting comfortably on the sofa opposite.

Though Rias was still talking to her via telecommunications, I was busy brewing the tea, just as if we were still in the clubroom. Some habits just die hard even on vacation time.

"I doubt that asking either of our siblings is even going to be on the table in this discussion."

["I would have found it peculiar if the subject of excluding them was not in the agenda."]

In the face of two siscon elder siblings who were also the Maous Lucifer and Leviathan, it was hard not to agree that calling them in for help would most definitely only inflate the situation worse. If I had been facing the two of them at the time, I would have surely been able to seen the deep mental agony running through both of their expressions. Ufufu.

I took the liberty of turning my head once after I finished pouring the water into the cup. After the milk of course with these fine china cups. To speak without too much description, the very thought of it was scrunching her face into such an adorable manner like when she was about to throw a tantrum. Arara, I can see why Sirzechs vies for her pouty face. Ufufu.

Ok, that's enough of my fun. I'll get straight back into the serious matters now;

["I haven't been able to come up with much else though, unfortunately. My initial plan was to set up a lot of defences, but that doesn't seem feasible."]

Rias changed over her crossed legs as she had to ponder on that new thought.

"I see. So there is no way that we can form any form of protection for that one weekend without it drawing too much attention."

["In addition; rather than just simply deter them or let them escape, I want to see them eradicated. It would mean less trouble in the future and, with any luck, none for the rest of the immediate year."]

As I lay the cup and saucer down on the little table in front of her, between the figurines she managed to snag on her last trip to Akihibara. It looks to amusing to see Light Yagami and Lelouch Lamperougue fighting over a hot beverage. Ufufu. It seems like it was Christmas all over again.

"You've certainty thought this through."

["It's part of the job description, so I hardly think I'm doing any more than what is expected of me."]

"Well. Now that we have ousted defence barriers, traps, and especially our siblings aid. Is there anything we haven't covered, or do we need to rethink and come back to this?"

There was a brief silences before Sona answered back. However, the tone of the conversation changed dramatically.

["There is one suggestion. However, I really do not like it, despite it maybe our only sizable option here."]

"I don't like the sound of your tone."

Rias also caught on to it. This sudden change in direction moved her posture from reclined and relax to straightened up and alert as she focused her vision more closely at the hologram of her friend.

["I never intended it to be soft for these kind of matters, Rias."]

"Well, let's hear it."

From the image of her in the hologram, she adjusted her glasses before revealing to us her only option we had for this conundrum.

["We could set up a quick release teleportation link between the school and our location in Kyoto. If there is trouble, a member of either of our peerages would just need to activate the circle in order to quickly summon us to action."]

"And the bad news?"

There was a minute of silence and a moment following that was so still I was sure that there was a form of communications lag through the holograms.

["The time it would take. I don't like it because many things could go wrong; first we have to consider if the situation occurs not at the school, but we cannot get it in a more localised location. There is also the time between the situation occurring and the activation. Then there is the signal reaching us and having to find a suitable location to teleport out without witnesses."]

"Well, one of us could stay behind and the other goes. If I stayed in Kyoto while you went, then I could erase witnesses, so the time is instantly shortened."

["I knew that would come out of your mouth."]

The privilege of knowing your best friends mind so well. Ufufu.

["The biggest obstacle is the Youkai's barrier around Kyoto. Even since the signal breaks through, there is a reason why devils just can't simply walk into the city, let alone teleport straight into the shrines."]

It was a true fact; the Youkai of Kyoto were in themselves just as much their own faction as the devils, angels and Grigori were, but they also managed to keep themselves to themselves by using the shrines to erect a large barrier across their entire city. The Youkai of Tokyo do so also, but only in the Imperial Palace and the surrounding area encompassing it.

The only reason we were able to go was that we had to apply to the Kyoto office for "Freedom of Passage" passes to allow us to move around the city, as well as enter it of course. Since it was only the four of us, and none of us were convicted criminals, the process would be finalised before the summer was over. However, teleporting in and out was still prohibited, which was also another issue.

Understandable since it could allow possible moles to open large gates to allow whole armies to enter the city passed the barrier. But, that worked against our favour for this problem we were having.

Rias screwed her mouth slightly, before proceeding to bite her right thumb in thought.

"How long do you suspect it would take in total once the signal reaches us?"

Instead of a quick response, Sona shook her head for a while before she crossed her arms and hung her head low enough to catch light off of her glasses.

["I can't. I don't know what they are made of, or how long we would be allowed to break through them. It could be as little as 5-10 minutes. Or we could be leaving our servants stranded for a whole hour or more, at worst."]

Sona was right to not like the plan at all. Potentially, the peerage members left behind would be in more danger trying to summon one of us (aka Sona, since Rias seemed set about staying in Kyoto if at all possible). The only other option was for one of them to not go to Kyoto, however that would also be losing out on an opportunity to eliminate whichever entity chose to strike.

Call them a prideful pair, but while neither of them wished to put any of their servants at risk, they were not so keen as to allow the Church or the fallen continue to live off of their turf. Allowing one of them to attack first would mean their eradication would be in the name of self-defence, but also meant allowing them the first move.

While I think neither of them wanted to even think that anyone would be stupid enough to attack on purpose, fortune often favours the bold. And, in this instance, a peerage without its King was definitely an easy target if either side thought that they stood a chance.

Neither of them could think any further about discussing the horrible probability that this may have been the only feasible option other than having one of them stay behind the entire time.

"We can talk about it again at a later date."

["Very well. But, as things stand, this may very well be our only option. Until next time, goodbye Rias."]

"See you later, Sona."

After the hologram of Sona vanished, there was just the silence to keep up company. Rias didn't move for a moment while she just took up her cup and stared into the contents of the tea for a while, as the steam continued to rise, even though now it was beginning to cool. She buried her left hand beneath her chest as she sighed, before taking the tea to her lips and put it back down on the saucer after a small sip.

"Akeno" she then said to me, without turning her head. "Would you please call Kiba, Koneko and Gasper here immediately? There are some things we need to discuss."

"I will do so shortly, Rias."

As I left the room to retrieve our kouhais from their respective free times, the only thought running through my head behind the faux smile was the dangers they would inevitably be putting themselves into should no other idea spring to mind.

* * *

 **["You forget yourself, Phenex; without oxygen, flames have nothing to live off of!"]**

"Listen to the dragon! When it comes to fire, he knows a lot more than I do!"

"When a phoenix wants to ask a dragon's opinion on the topic of fire, it will be the day I'll spend my winter vacation in Inferno!"

Whilst escorting my two young children to the training I, **Zemele Phenex née Murmur** , was still able to hear the sounds of the whimsical back and forth exchanges of verbal blows.

Honest to the Maou, even after these many centuries, I still do not understand what men find so entertaining in throwing quips at each other in heated battle like this.

Because my King and husband was still at work, I was looking after our two twins for the day. Now reaching their eighth birthdays in a matter of months, they had certainly grown up from when they were still small enough to be carried around. It wasn't their weights that were the issue, just the size mind you.

Ramar had started to show signs of growing taller than his sister by almost a few millimetres, but I suspect that it will balance itself our once the two reach puberty. He had taken to sporting a small pony tail to keep his unruly hair at least partially neat, while the rest still draped itself around his head. His ears have been buried along with sections across his brow and eyes that I almost have to force him to keep it brushed away from his face. I fear he is growing too much like his father was in his younger days, not that I don't like the idea entirely. The more energetic nature was fine, but he was also picking up his late nights habit, which was not doing his need for sleep any good.

Riana, on the other hand luckily took more after, thank the Maou; she was more eager to take to more socially acceptable etiquette than her brother was, and was a much more calmer girl than she had been a couple of years ago, even if some of her shyness in the face of the public hasn't faded away. Her hair is only slightly longer than Ramar's, but she likes to braid her front most side locks into braids and then tie them across to the back, interweaving them as they travel behind her head.

It was while walking around that we had happened upon this large and extensive training exercise orchestrated by my brother-in-law in the training venue on the third basement floor. As soon as the first view of fire on fire appeared before our eyes, the kids started running at full pace with excitement.

It was only when a flash of red armour crossed across the field did I understand what was making my two children so ecstatic.

"Ise-nii is fighting Uncle Riser!"

"So Cool!"

Although Lady Ravel was technically their aunt, the age gap of seven years was too close for it to really sink in, so they settled for a more "big sister" figure in their aunt. As for Issei, well he was always following her around since he first arrived, and with him only being a years and two months older than his King, he was naturally designated as a "big brother".

Their grandmother, Lady Rozalva found it very amusing to say the least. As did their father, and their uncles and grandfather. Lady Ravel on the other hand seemed to be thinking far off from the original intentions of her niblings in mind, but then again she never exactly tried to fight it off either.

'Nii', of course being the informal form of the Japanese word meaning 'brother', which they started using because it was 'cool', and not out of respectful manners. Then again, what can you expect when it comes to children and their perceptions?

I swear I'm starting to think that this whole Japanese fixation that is sweeping through the underworld is becoming too contagious. It has even been changing our very politics, and please don't remind me of 'Miracle Levia-tan'.

The sight of Lord Riser and Issei fighting was most definitely a heated one, in spite of it only being training. If it hadn't been for the verbal exchanges between them being so full of obviously friendly japes, I would have thought of this a literal fight to the death.

Lord Riser was continuously using his flaming projectiles in all shapes and forms, and the occasional physical punch. While Issei was already donning his scale mail from head to toe. He didn't attack, but rather held the defensive for most of the fight, with the occasion punch of his own to match Lord Risers.

"Lady Zemele."

I turned my head much to my surprise when . I could see Mira and Yubelluna immediately to my right, and Marion and Buret were behind them. If I was to take a gander, I would think that the Rooks, Knights and Bishop were also here, but training to their own volition.

There were also two new additions to his peerage as far as I could see. Twins, again. About the same age as my two.

I made a mental note that my husband and his elder brother would need to have a less than quiet word with their youngest brother when they had the opportunity.

"Please, at ease. When I am not with my husband, I am just another peerage member. Please, remember that."

It was hard balancing my life, even after all these decades, with being both another peerage member, and the wife of the second son. I preferred to remain the status quo of my role as Bishop rather than as a lady. It was more comforting than reliving my childhood as just another nobleman's daughter.

"Who do you think will win, Mummy?"

"Hmm?"

"Uncle Riser or Ise-nii? Who's going to win?"

At my skirt, Riana, who was still sticking close to me now that she had realised that there suddenly more people around, asked me a question based on personal opinion. I looked around for her brother, but it would appear that Ramar was running around the pitch as if he was pretending to be a part of the action itself.

If there hadn't been a barrier erected around the field, I would have shown more concerned for his safety among the flames and the punches.

I picked up my daughter and sat her upon my lap. Then, I attempted to tell her without anyone else overheard as I spoke into her ear.

"Despite your uncle being an avid competitor, I would have to say that even in practise that the one who is at the most advantage is Issei."

"Excuse me?"

Despite my best efforts, it seems that the sensitivity to sound was unexpectedly strong even in reincarnated devils. As expected of Riser's peerage to be a little sore when it came to the question. Mira, who was standing closest managed to overhear the conversation and now was gathering the attention of the other five who were watching from nearby.

I reshuffled Riana on my lap, while she started gripping to my sleeve slightly, and I went on to explain my reasons for viewing Issei as the stronger of the two.

"In term of power, he most certainly is in the top five among the Pawns of the Phenex clan;" I started to explain as I went into greater detail as the two of them down in the grounds were now exchanging a series of parrying blows to each other.

"Kuickrow, Pawn of Four to Lord Rayzem is considered the strongest and is recognised as such ever since his ascension to high-class and the acquisition of his own peerage."

Lord Kuickrow was an obvious choice for first, considering he himself had risen up to High-class, the only so far among us peerage members to do so by his power. Being of the Vajrayana, he was already at a power that once he had grown up was on par to that of a demigod, and only got stronger as he aged. [The Four-armed Destruction King] was not a name he earned just based on appearance alone.

Being in the same peerage as him, I could reaffirm that statement with absolute certainty.

"Next would be Lord Rivalen's Pawn of Six, Tash Imdugad, and then Hans from Lord Ruval's side, I think."

Tash, also was a relatively powerful demon before reincarnation. His father, Anzu Imdugud was the infamous [Demon of Flame and Torrent] and Tash himself was just as powerful, if not more so with the addition to the powers of the devils. Fire and water were his specialty, and a monstrous berserk frenzy he can throw himself into made him a very terrifying opponent indeed.

Hans, on the other hand was one who worked himself to his absolute limits, pushing himself to what his body could handle. He has been called [The Undying Man] after sustaining serious injuries that would have at least crippled a usual devil, and yet still managed to get back up every single time.

"Issei would definitely then follow closely after in fourth. And for fifth . . . I would have to say that it would go to either Peter or Candice from Lord Ruval's peerage."

I feel that I do need to explain how power the [Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet] is that makes Issei so powerful, especially after he managed to already attain his balance breaker before he was fifteen.

When it came to choosing between either Peter or Candice, that's when it got trickier to assess; both were specialists in their fields of magic, Peter in music and sound, while Candice in ice. But both had their relative strengths and weaknesses, so it was still a tough choice, especially when they both fight in the same peerage, so it becomes harder to compare their power.

"However" I continued to mention after finishing my own personal assessment of the various peerage members in service to the House of Phenex, "unlike the other four or five mentioned, Issei is the only one with room still to grow."

"To grow?"

I nodded, as I went on to further explain.

"Unlike the others who have reached their natural pinnacle through decades or even centuries of experience, Issei is the still relatively young and has a Sacred Gear on top of that. A Longinus I need not remind you all also."

I shifted Riana a little more on my knee, as Ramar finished running round he entire edge of the fields, before he begun a second lap.

"Lord Riser has already settled into his fighting style, and he rarely prepares himself for improvement. Unlike Issei, he doesn't have a goal of getting stronger by his own strengths, unlike Issei who is aiming to protect Lady Ravel. As he is currently the only member of her peerage, he holds the sole responsibility for her safety. So, at the end of the day, he needs to be the equivalent of fifteen peerage members rather than simply just his eight for the time being."

Though it took quite a bit of persuasion, with some cleverly manipulated words, I managed to convince the harem of overprotective girls that my decision was still correct by my perspective.

"Big Sis Ravel is indeed lucky to have him as a servant."

I smiled at little to my daughters comment.

"She is very lucky to have _him_. Whether she or he will admit to their real feelings is up to them."

Oh. It's not like no one has ever noticed it. There have been many signs that there was a kindred infatuation between the two of them, no matter how much they have apparently been trying to conceal it even from the other as well as themselves. All the indications were obvious to anyone who has been around either of them for so long.

I remember it was, what? One, two years before, she had come up to me asking 'what it was like', that being the love between a master and a servant.

"Hypothetically" she had called it, but there was nothing so hypothetical about it. Still, I humoured to her illusion that I wasn't at all aware of anything going on for her sake. Though after having observed the obvious signs for more than five years, it was clearer than glass what her real intentions behind asking me were. Perhaps because I was the closest reference for her, since I was both the wife and Bishop of her elder brother, and that maybe it wasn't best to ask Rayzem after his series of long night sessions he has done at the session.

I could very well understand her concerns. He has this unfortunate habit of falling asleep at the most peculiar times when he actually is at home even today. Need I explain more?

"Though, while I am saying this; considering the engagement is already in its final stages, perhaps I am thinking too far out of my station, both as a servant and her sister-in-law."

"When do you think they'll announce it?" Mira asked, still in the vicinity to overhear my words being spoken aloud.

"I suspect either after Ravel finishes her education. Or, more likely after Lord Riser's engagement is definitive."

Although it seemed very much like it was being speculative, a definitive answer to the state of the engagement between the Phenex and Gremory clans was the perfect opportunity to announce something equally as important. With the Phenex clan's stance in the political struggle between the Old Kings and New Satans, organising further marital alliances was crucial in the coming years.

"Do you believe that Uncle Riser can make it defen-, diffii-, d-, diffinitiff?"

As the match started to reach its conclusion, I could only think about what the future would entail, and whether we were walking down the right path, for all of us. I entertained my daughter's last question as the fight was nearing its end.

"In a Rating Game, the side that receives the most favour is the one with experience. Numbers are also a big contribution for the moment, Nana. In the long run, Rias Gremory is inexperience and only had four servants. One of which is under house arrest because he is a danger to himself. The other three are also green to Rating Games as well, so the chances of her victory rest solely on her ability do the unpredictable, but even then the chance is slimmer than a sheet of paper."

The last glance I saw of the match, there was at last one victor of this training bout. The person to fall from magic exhaustion, was Lord Riser.

* * *

It was beginning to reach the end of the early evening at the Agreas Stadium, and the performance that was taking place had only just reached halfway through its entire runtime. Everyone but I, **Ravel Phenex** , couldn't be happier to be here on our last day of school before heading home for the summer break.

It wasn't the play that was getting me down, but the unexpected additional weeks of boarding that had kept me at school. If this staying away from home experience hadn't been a compulsory part of the education system in the homeland, I think I very well would have walked out the minute that said I had no obligations to remain if I didn't want to.

I had been hoping that Issei had received my gift on time for his birthday. If there wasn't such a big need for this boarding experience before I could join him next year in the overworld, then I would have run home once his summer break had started.

But no. Now that I was stuck there until the end of the month, he would have been gone the very next day that I arrived home, and based on this play, that would be late into the night when everyone was already asleep. Worse still was his early morning leave as well.

The most I would have seen him that summer might had been his sleeping face if I had the good fortune to pass his bedroom on the way to my own.

Especially when it was Yohaphous Pheles' _The Tragedy of Queen Lilith_.

The younger son of Lord Mephisto crafted this play during the end of the Old Satan's reign, but only actually finished it once the civil war was ended, which meant that he ended up having to rewrite quite a bit of it especially in some of the scenes since he now had a little more . . . creative freedom.

This was nearing the conclusion of Act Two, where Lilith returns to her home only to find her husband dead and her two sons having killed each other also. Although in real history these two events took place in different locations and over the course of several years apart, the play merged them together into a single scene. It wasn't even clear if the three angels mentioned were even real to begin with or were fictitious inventions. But still, it remained one of the best tragic performances ever composed in the Underworld.

Even in that year, the actors and actresses were performing at their best, and even if I didn't like the circumstances which ended up placing myself in this situation, it was a decent demonstration of reward for the extra weeks at board.

It was now the late eighth hour, after the performance had started at the late fourth. And after this was the intermission and the remaining two acts.

As the actress playing Maouojo Lilith before she became the Queen to Maou Lucifer mourned over the death of her loved ones, and the consistent taunting in the apparently, there was so much rightful anger and sadness in her voice that it carried through her words. Even while keeping in verse, it did not simmer the emotions needed to project powerful performance in her words.

I was moved to tears as I watched the angels make unjust claims that it was their right to take her family from her, and even to insult the moon god Sin who took her in after banishment from Eden. The strength in her anger when she threw the angels from her home so that she could mourn in silence, before the madness of grief started to slowly slip into her mind. The recount of what Jehovah had done to her family was well known, but it still broke my heart as if it was happening right in front of me.

The most tragic part however, of which I will never forget, was when her mortal husband, Dumuzid came to life again only for a brief moment. Because he was already half dead, he could not see her despite her being by his side, nor could he feel her. His express of regret and failiure as he slowly died again before her eyes was too much more my handkerchief to absorb anymore.

The final lines would end up haunting me in the years to come. I just, didn't know it yet.

:~:

[Lilith enters stage left, and drops to her knees centre stage]

 **Lilith**

Thou art a cruel and wicked god, O' Great Lord.

You, who gave unto me and Adam life,

You took from me as mother and as wife,

And left to rot among the bloodied hoard.

So cradle my sons as they drain by sword,

And my husband's bones mangled in fierce strife.

Dagger to my heart, and my throat a knife.

[Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof enter backstage]

 **Senoy**

All you received is the right of the Lord

 **Sansenoy**

The penance paid by the sons you have bore

 **Semangelof**

Sing shall this message of many in time,

 **Senoy**

And saved shall you husband be evermore.

 **Lilith**

You blinded furies!-

 **Sansenoy**

Rebellious chime.

 **Lilith**

Wing'ed puppets!-

 **Semangelof**

A click of rotten lime.

 **All Angels**

Thou should weep for what our Lord has in store.

 **Lilith**

Weep? Weep? Has he not sampled enough tears,

After his fill with my fair children's blood?

Yet he desires my waterworks to flood.

To mourn perpetually through the years

And rain upon these lands. Are these his fears?

Does he hate? Disgust? Am I to turn cud,

That I shall ne'er bear nor spring anoth' bud?

Your words fail to scare nor hide your locked queers.

Unlike the doting father found in Sin,

Whose moony light did comfort mine wound'd soul,

And gave me a place safe to live within,

Like I had always been his offspring's kin.

Nay! My maker; slayer of stud and foal.

Tis the god Sin who made my life as whole.

Nay did he take from me tears and wrought tin.

Take back your faux pleasantries, for I shun

Your Lord, your God, no longer holds to me.

Run to your master's skirt, Turn as you flee!

Rats! Knowest that thy end shall be undone!

 **Senoy**

Turn we shall, but his work has just begun

 **Sansenoy**

The end of thy suffering, far from thee

 **Semangelof**

Only by this penance, forgive you shall He.

 **All Angels**

When blood and ash is all that remains, none

Shall speaketh against the Lord, for the Sun

Knows and sees all across the lands and sea.

When your blasphemic tongue ceases its end

And your soul knows true suffering in peace,

Only then shall all your tormentors cease.

But alas nay, nor husbands nor sons bend

Around the laws that govern the world, send

Not can we return what has lost, for lease

And e'er more, nor hold thy comforting fleece.

 **Lilith**

No. No, it is far too late.

 **All Angels**

We shall mend-

 **Lilith**

Mend, what possible solution is there?

When you snatched from me cruel my other half

And then forced death upon those shared my hair

And my eyes, without such pity to share?

I lean by this crutch, you offer a staff

Made from bones you reaped from two of my calf.

Leave me, feathered roaches!

 **All Angels**

Do you not care-

 **Lilith**

No! I shall not care, when all is unfair,

You take from me and then desert my path.

Such blind fellows. Forgive, I do not laugh

At your pathetic and emptied eyed stare

And though thus you have stripped me twice an heir

You continue to hover around my lair.

Wicked guests, who show their hostess no truth,

No manners, no curtseys, so very rude.

This kindness of your God, where is his proof?

You mantle his face, how truly uncouth,

And thus you persist your right to intrude,

To continue souring this wretched mood?

Thou should all meet the back end of the hoof!

Leave my home, immediately for soothe!

Lest you wish your powdered wings to be skew'd!

 **All Angels**

Dark temptress-

 **Lilith**

your rights I hereby forgo!

[The Angels are banished, lights turn black for a moment, then turn on again]

They hath gone! At last. I sit in thy tomb.

Laying upon the blackened seeds they've sow

What they call the bless'd light has brought but doom

And curse me further by rotting my womb

Is this truly how far these drones shall go

To commit evil as acts of good? Low,

Now I have nought but light by this moon.

My dear, poor broken Dumuzid lays here,

Caught thrice in the traps laid by horrid Yahm

The false god wrought none but madness and sneer,

When he saw dear husband gift me with cheer,

Thus made his mission to bring him to harm,

Upon these lands of which he sowed his farm,

And into the trap he was forced to steer,

Starved and bare, 'til robbed of his final year.

But weak it was compared to anoth' alarm;

Both dear sons, sweet Lulal and brave Shara,

Made them he did, to kill the other child;

From mixing miseries from home afar

Not did he only force their birth ajar

My sweet second's face made beast and defiled

And drove lionhearted Lulal to wild

Behaviours and savagery, and bizarre

Forced brave Shara, to weild that morning star

And slay his brother and twin. You, most viled

And disgusting of Gods, thieved of his breath

And exchanged his precious air warm for death

Cold and prickly now layers my heart bare

In this dark crevasse far deep in my chest

Far long now was I now the weeping lone mare

Riddled to my bones with burdens I bear

Bring all you have now. Strike me! Go! Now! Lest

Thee wishes now to stifle out my zest

Thou'est have nothing more which you can tear.

Bastard! I laugh now, which is such a rare

Sight to see and a smile that shows best

How much farther lord father pushed his test

Wander now I shall, deep within the night

To find them, I will return them. My spawn,

Hiding beneath the earth, untouched by light

Trying so hard to come home with every might.

Across all land and upon every lawn

I will travel from the dusk 'til the dawn

No matter who may die, terror or fright,

For my desires I shalt suffer this blight,

And retrieve to me what has been torn.

[Dumuzid raises his head]

 **Dumuzid**

Gasp, darkness is all before me I see.

 **Lilith**

My darling! My sweet, I am here for you.

 **Dumuzid**

I hear nothing. I see nothing. Tis' true

That all of my world has hidden from me.

Far away to the shore beyond the sea.

 **Lilith**

I am here. Please see me. Stay! Live anew

Rebuild all that we have lost, we can do;

Our home, our lives, even our family.

Come forth from the dark. Please, I'm so alone

Without you, without them, nought to live for.

So please swim back. Don't reach that other shore!

 **Dumuzid**

I am nowhere, yet I'm cold to the bone.

Where art my wife. Where art my children. Hone

To them I cannot. I can do no more.

I must leave. To die as I had before.

To the sons I could not save, I digress.

I am sorry. Forgive me, . . . my Princess.

[Dumuzid dies]

 **Lilith**

. . . He is lost. I'm . . . without. Come now distress.

Widow. Yes. . . . Black, paint now . . . my wedding dress.

. . . Upon thy head, I . . . for the last, caress.

Sleep . . . forever undisturbed . . . , now free from duress.

[Stage goes dark. End of Act Two]

* * *

"Please, don't! Don't! Don- *GgAAAAAAAAAAhhHHHHHHAHHHhhhh!*" *Thud*

"I'm sorry, did you say something? If you want me to keep on cutting you, then don't say anything. I wouldn't want you to lose your head over technicalities. Oops, too late!"

O' twas a dark and ominous night, and all through the village. Everyone disturbing was dead, as I razed and I pillaged.

Actually, I think the only one disturbed here was me. Meh, It's still a good rhyme.

And I, the glorious and most ever so dashing **Freed Sellzen** , was enjoying a lovely party with o' so many old acquaintances one day in the neck of the woods in the coldest areas of Russia. Call me unorthodox, but I was actually born a catholic, so don't sweat the small stuff.

It was a real frenzy. So much that it became a bloodbath.

If o~only someone hadn't come uninvited and cut this party short, and also cut all the guests short while they were at it.

But now saying that, they look so much better, considering none of them had a good head on any of them to begin with. This new look suits them perfectly. The newly acquisition of red brings out the massacre in their corpses don't you agree?

Ahh. And then from behind a new guest arrived late to this party. I didn't need to have eyes in the back of my head to know when a party crasher was standing at the door way marveling at the art I had created on the floor and across the walls.

Only when I decided to eye up my adoring fan did I start filling my skin with goosebumps. The good kind of course, that just crawls all over you like submerging yourself in a bath of blood. O~oh, now that was a feeling.

If I hadn't seen that amusing back-stabbing bastard tonight, I never would have got the right kind of shivers to complete this mood.

"Well, well, well, look was the cat choked up all over the carpet. You look like you've been digging yourself out of a grave for good few years. The mud really does match that devil loving filth you covered yourself in."

Oh, as if I wouldn't recognise him. I never met the guy, but his ugly muzzle was displayed all over the many churches and declarations at the exorcist institutes. Though I must say that he is looking greyer than I had last pictured, and his form was definitely haggard, but that's what you get when you fuck a demon.

Someone should have told him to use his other sword when piercing them from behind. Lucky, he had come to me that day to learn that kind of extra circular tutoring.

He wasn't a particular chatty fellow, which suited his grim demeanour, like a bug had crawled up his arse. He wasn't that much fun listening to either.

"Friedrich Sellzen. Twenty-six years old. Born in Oldenburg, raised Roman Catholic, but then converted to Danish Lutheran in order to return to your native lands. Became an exorcist at thirteen, top of your class, even considered a genius. Holds the record for most devils slain in a single evening at thirty-three. Went rogue in the early spring. Been missing in action for over four months with zero know witnesses."

Man. When this guy spews anything from his heathen licking hole it's always the dull stuff that comes coughing up from his throat. It was such a bore to listen to, but I wasn't going to let that ruin the lovely atmosphere I put my heart, and their hearts especially, into creating. You'd never believe how difficult it is to pull of cardiac muscles with those drapes.

"O~oh, someone's done their homework. You might be a little old for school, but I'm sure there is something around here worth teaching. I know! How about a little biology experiment. I'll be the scientist, and you can be the frog. Croak for me, you amusing sack of slime!"

I gave him no time to raise his sword, but I under estimated how ready old Yaggy was when I swung at him with my sword. He barely moved, but that katana of his was already in my face before I got a chance to slice and dice his into tiny little cubes.

And I wanted to make jelly out him later as well. Pity I never got the chance.

"Shiny. I never thought anyone would let you touch a Holy Sword again after getting inside that demon whore of yours. I wonder if her screams of pain were as sweet as the ones she made riding you!"

Coming from a man who has his own . . . turn ons. I must say, the presence of that godishly metal grasped between his two hands just screamed 'come have a taste of me, shitty devil scum!'. It wasn't a fake like those mass-produced pieces of crap they give to your everyday exorcist you know. The amount of fantastical angelical energy that seemed so smothered I just wanted slide my tongue up and down it just to see if it would do anything for little Freed downstairs.

His face actually started moving a little when I mentioned that little harlot he fucked his brains out with which got them both killed. Though looking at him, he was already dead to begin with, so I think even a small frown is a huge improvement. Five points to Freed, and the balls in his park now.

He pushed me away, but I jumped right back in there for the second round. I cut him all directions I could think of; I went this way, that way, forwards and backwards, long ways, slant ways, highways, low ways. Ooh, I wish mumma Freed was here with a camera to watch this back over.

"Temper, temper. On second thoughts, let your hate flow through you. It will make a nice expression when you suddenly realise your imminent death is approaching. It gives me the chills thinking how all those facial muscles will curl in retreat when it suddenly gets a nice upturned view of the rest of your demonphilic cadaver."

But, I must say he was a tough son of bitch to crack open. I was expecting another Humpty Dumpty for me to break, but this guy was hard boiled to the point I might as well had tried to actually put effort into my killing.

Ok. I exaggerate. I didn't actually land a single hit. Pisses me off that. Moi, who is a prodigy, was not even allowed a small scratch. It wouldn't had even hurt. Not unless I dug to really deep that is. If he hadn't been equipped with that blasted true holy sword, I would had finished him off already.

And I was already to give him the eulogy I wrote for him in the last three minutes.

"Dearest friends and wonderfully quiet colleagues of mine, we gather here to witness the dropping of another corpse down the hole. I would like to say that I miss him, but I didn't; I cleaved his head real nice and tore his chest open just to see his guts spill out like breaking a piñata. But, I will say that I'm sad that the candy didn't taste as sweet as I had hoped. Not when it's been dipping itself inside devil whores. But beggars can't be choosers, so I'll just-"

I was rudely cut off when a blade almost lopped my gorgeous head off. The pervert was probably looking for a good ornament ram his magic sword through now that his devil bitch was dead. He should have at least considered it a courtesy to buy me drink before engaging any further than that. Oh, who am I kidding, I've killed for less.

"You talk too much."

*pffft* A lot of dreary silence, and this was all he was willing to offer me. I was actually hurt by how little thought he put into describing just how despicable he thought I was.

"Is that your comeback!? You disappoint me so much. For one with a name like yours, I was hoping to have some after party entertainment, but your quips are a loose as your morals. But I suppose I can spare a few minutes to tail the question that has always had me stumped about you."

I was expecting him to react madly. You know, the kind where he swears that I am the most horrid person in the world and then come at me with all his anger. I love it when they break all reason. So much bite and then I can finally get the high score by decapitating them. I even unlock a bonus round if I disembowel them. Mr Lector would praise me for my decorations across the halls.

But no. The bore lowered his fucking sword and thought that talking was going to satisfy my buzz.

"I'll answer a question, but I would like you to hear my offer in exchange for your life."

"Hmm, so now you're doing deals for the damned? Sorry, casket smotherer, but I have my own reasons for going rogue, and none of them entailed me signing up to join the-"

I thought at that point that I might have actually snapped ol' Yaggy, as he kicked me. Right in the chest. I was so shocked I actually fell over the floorboards and bruised my perfect little white tushie on the way down.

"The reason you went rogue is what?"

Reason? I almost forgot to laugh when he had my right arm caught beneath his boot and my left ensnared by his sword pinning my sleeve. He owed my tailor an apology after this bout.

But, I had to tell him. Being how catty he was in life, I thought the curiosity was just killing him inside. Could let him pass on again without curing him, could I?

"Because O'Lord all mighty isn't real" I spat.

He didn't react? I was so twisted when I realised he didn't even twitch at this most stumbling of revelations. So, I tried to push that nail in further until his shitty heart couldn't handle the prick anymore.

"Strange isn't it that he is supposedly everywhere, but as long as no one human sees what you do to a few haggard corpses, your slate never gets any dirtier. I'm not saying I don't admire the guy; I mean, killing every single firstborn of plagiaristic heathens in a single night is a glorious feat. Drowning every shitty sinner in the world all at once; marvellous. But my absolutely favourite is the one where he just straight up blows two cities to smithereens for doing the beast with two back with anything that moves. Spec~tacular! But, to seriously hang up the whip after so long cracking it you might as well not exist."

While I was giving him the lecture of a lifetime, I was busy cutting my arm free by making that little slit on his sword bigger until my sidearm was within reach.

"If he was alive" I continued to rant, "then how could you justify a sociopath such a moi? Did you know I wasn't even born? I certainly didn't. Imagine how, I don't know, just how much I tipped over the edge when I found out that little tidbit? I would direct you to the seven good folks I killed, but they're not much for talkers these days."

I was nearly there. His dead eyes weren't even looking at my hand.

"A test-tube baby. That's all I was. They were looking to make someone capable of wielding Sieggy's Gram, you know? They basically started taking all those little strands they found in all of his descendants and then *WHAM* nine months later, out from the labs comes me."

Almost . . . got it.

"And then Ziggy the second showed up with a Sacred Gear as well, and then nothing. I don't hate the guy, I just don't like him to the point that I just want to skin him and wear it like a sheath."

Just clip that holster.

"I'm not the only one you know. There are plenty of clones that look exactly like me. I'm just the only one with enough brains to go loopy and realise the bigger picture. So I just thought-"

*click*PANG!*

Shit! His fucking sword caught on to me and flicked my gun away. It would have lost my beautiful hand too if I hadn't pulled back at the last minute. He leaned in closer. He said some things, but all I was thinking of before that was that he was in serious need of dental hygiene expertise. Or perhaps a box of tic-tacs for that smell.

"He was alive."

"You mean . . . he died. God died!"

'Da Fuq?' I was so in shock that my literature teacher would have killed me for writing so abhorrently in my own thoughts. Not that she could, but you don't need to know what I did to her. Use your imagination.

"Did you not hear what I said?"

"I heard what you fucking said! But God cannot die! That's so shitting insane that it makes me look like a reliable person. How fucked up is that?"

"If God hadn't died, but the four Satans did, why on earth would Heaven even consider a ceasefire?"

I may belong in a maximum security madhouse, but what he suddenly said was the only thing that made any lick of sense in this fucking encounter tonight. God wouldn't just leave the job half done. That's so fucking stupid. Satan was dead, and he still let the devils run free from war. Who's shitty idea was that to bloodly let them off scot free, huh?

Maybe Yaggy still had a few screws left in that rattle he called a head.

And so he continued.

"If God was always so powerful and righteous, then why did he not smite the remnants of their race before they could lick their wounds? Why do you think the Churches all covered this knowledge up?

"Blah-Blah-Bladdy-Blah. For someone who has the answers, you ask too many fucking questions, and it's now boring me. Get fighting or get dying. Either way works for me."

Instead of letting me up, or even killing me, he just pressed his foot harder into my arm. That shitty thing! Didn't he know that when I retired I wanted to play a career in ping-pong? Now, it was ruined thanks to the hospital bills I was going to have to sign over to get this fixed.

I wasn't about to let him get the better of Freed Sellzen now, was I.

"You're certainly a better fighter not that does your mannerisms any better. Where you always so solemn or did your sense of fun rot in the ground where you belong. Maybe the maggots are eating your sense of humour as we speak. Just let me crack open head and spill them out for you. And then I do the same to your guts and see what kind of trinkets I can find in there."

He pulled my collar up, stretching the fabric as you do, and said this to me before throwing me down again.

"My master would like to see your talents being put to work for his cause."

*Thud*

"Ow!"

That bastard then had the nerve to think he had tamed me that he pulled himself back off on top of me. Though considering his personality, he was probably more of a bottom person.

"What could be so interesting that you had to hitch hike your way into the middle of nowhere looking for little old me?"

"The Apocalypse."

O~oh. Now this was getting interesting.

"Now you're talking an interesting sort of language. I'll lend you an ear or two. Heck, I'll cleave a few more from the next town if it pleases yah."

He sheathed is sword, the fucker. As if I wasn't going to try and scalp him the moment I didn't like his ideas.

He was just lucky that he had already honey dicked me with his sweet, sweet words. I can almost taste that sensation on my lips again it drives me mad. Well . . . madder.

"It's more than just the devils. Angels, the Girgori, the Aesir, the Olympians, the Ma'at, the Deva, Asura, Buddha. All of them, and all their enemies and ones who distrust the status quo are forming an alliance very soon. Your friend, Siegfried has already signed up for a group of certain descendants of heroes forming together."

Because he was now relaxing his posture, it was sure not going to end with more entertainment, even f I did decide to kill him just then. Shame that I couldn't get that one last shed of red for that evening. Though, it was soon going to be worth it.

"Are you sure you'll have enough room in your heart throbbing boy band for a psychotic madman such as moi?"

He raised his finger in my direction like he was some pointer's mutt.

"If you do your job right and effectively, my lord will be most generous. I can guarantee that we like to keep our activities outside from the . . . others. The idea of endgame is purely our own, so we keep it under wraps."

"So why tell me?"

"Because killing for any reason is your euphoria, is it not."

I thought I would be blushing, he knew me so well.

"Oh, Yaggy. You've pulled on my heart strings. But, I expect plenty of good times ahead. Killing unarmed priests does give you the snoozes after a while. I'm looking for some real game."

"If you do a few jobs for my master, then I'm sure you will like the prize at the end."

"What would that be? Don't leave me hanging with a small snibbit of what's to come. Oh, please do just give me the full spoilers."

I loved that moment of suspense he left me in, it just made my spine tingle with excitement when the first few syllables left his undead mouth.

"If I said that two of the four younger siblings of the New Maou where in the human world, what would you say would be an idea of making them the first casualties of this war?"

"I'd say you found your mass-murderer, Yaggy. But do I really have to wait a year? Oh, please, just a little culling of the herd before the big showdown. I would hate to get rusty before the big game finally arrives."

I replied so sulkingly while I finally decided to put both my weapons away . . . for now.

 **"[Jussst let me bite him, Tono-ue. I haven't tasssted good fleshhh in yearsss.]"**

Holy shit was my first thought. A talking sword? I must be really losing my marbles. Well, I have been under a lot of pressure recently, what with a new job, moving home, and having to tirelessly work all my previous subordinates to death. I think hearing a sharp blade talk has a nice ring to my sanity.

"Soon, Daija-sama; Balam, Asmoday, Paimon, Beleth, Purson, Bael. They will all die. I will make sure you will be the one to strike them down in my hands. As will Shatarova, Quarta, Christaldi, Raimondi, and Shidou. I'll slay them all with this blade and let you savour their blood against your steel."

 **"[Excccelent. I will look forward to the blood of kingsss then.]"**

Oooh, someone's not looking for a joke.

I shit you not, that this jolly folk living inside that shiny piece of sharped metal with his tongue caught between his lips was singing all the way back home.

Soon, I'll get to throw another party bash, and I'll be sure to bash every shitty devil skull I get my hands on. If, I don't blow a hole through their heads first. Then again, why waste the entertainment of my new merry evening so soon?

* * *

In the next morning, though technical since it was around four in the morning which was way too early be even considered part of the day, I, **Ravel Phenex** , awoke in my household. But, not in my own bed.

I didn't notice at all when I got home, due to the third and fourth acts reaching into the dead of the night. By the time I was home, it was already in the hour of the wolf. By the time I was already in proximity of a bed, I was asleep as I slumped myself down and unconsciously wriggled into the covers.

However, as I started to stir after just under five hours of sleep, my mind started to wake while my eyes were still closed shut. Even though it was the summer time, the climate of the Underworld didn't exactly have a transitioning of seasons due to the surface still lying high above our heads, so it was still the same relatively same mild temperature it always was.

If you wanted a winter experience, then the outskirts of Cocytus would suffice (though considering it's under the influence of the Grigori, Helle would be a better choice for vacationing), or to Inferno if you wanted a Mediterranean to Indian summer.

Why I am bringing this up is probably starting to get to you, but I assure you I was just getting to that point.

So, even when it was summer, the temperature of sleeping arrangements remained relatively unchanged. So I when I started to stir, I noticed how I had been clinging to the nearest source of heat in the cold night instinctively.

It was only when I had awoken, and finally came round to realise that the room I took slumber in was not my own. It was only once my mind had registered this unfamiliar place that I then took to thought as to what it was that I had been clinging unto all the night long.

Despite having been separated for so long, I remembered lying in this position before. I had often snuck into his bed on a few occasions when we were both still only children. With one hand swung over his chest, the other hooked to his left arm, and my head nestled in the nap between his shoulder and his pectorals, I remembered this. I was in Issei's bed.

I was still the evening dress I had worn to the theatre performance, and had forgotten to change out of, or at least remove before falling asleep. I should have felt relieved that nothing had decided to "pop" out as it were. And judging by the fabric between my head and his skin, he was still wearing his shirt.

His alarm went off. The clock said five thirty in the morning. No. No. It's still way too early.

He was stirring now, I could feel his whole body move around as he started swinging his right arm for the clock with his eyes still closed. The duvet started shifting as his feet began wriggling from a stationary state.

He moved his body a little. I started feeling his shoulder rise a little before it stopped and slowly lowered back down. When I looked up to his face, I then

"Hhh?"

He just woke up, but already he was silent again. His eyes, were just wide and staring. Occasionally he would glance all around the room just to survey the location. Perhaps he was thinking he was the one who had made the mistake of crawling into my b-

. . . Sorry, I don't know where that thought had suddenly propped up from.

Now that he was aware, and I was staring at him, there was just the awkward silent movement where we were just starting at each other, almost half awake, but fully aware of what was going on.

. . .

*blink*

. . .

*blink*blink*

. . .

His arms started patting a few places across the mattress and his body, while his eyes continued to look up and down every so often. I think he was just reaffirming himself that we were both still clo-, that were both in decent states of dress before he overreacted upon waking up.

I just went red in the face, I admit it. I nearly wanted to pull that duvet cover back over my head and pretend that it was all just a figment of his imagination.

He had started shifting, like he was about to try and get out. I didn't move a single muscle.

'Please, don't. No.'

I suddenly started thinking about how long it had been since we had actually been on contact. The misery I was in when I found out we would be missing out the entire summer without potentially seeing each other once. It was like reliving those long years apart when he was first training with Lord Tannin shortly after becoming my Pawn.

I hated it when we were separated, and even when we were together, we had been growing up so much that it was awkward.

This was awkward right now. But, even then, this was the only chance either of us were going to see each other this summer. And he was just going to leave just like that the moment he woke up.

It wasn't fair. Why wasn't any of this fair?

Before he could move any further out of my grip, I did something that I regretted for the next few days, but over the next week after, I was glad I had stopped him there.

"Please. Just a little longer."

I stopped him by grabbing tighter to his arm, and especially to his shirt sleeve.

I sounded so pathetic. I was supposed to be his King. If I wanted to I could have ordered him not to move. But, I didn't want to him to have to do it. I wanted him to want to do it of his own volition.

I felt so embarrassed almost grovelling for this favour from him. Even now, I still go horribly flushed in the face when I relive that moment.

But, for the sake of another hour if possible. I just wanted to lay here a little more. With him.

"Until you have to go. Please, just stay?"

He stopped moving, and I was worried that my words had fallen flat. I was ready to push my eyes into the pillow to hide my tears from anything further. But, then I felt his other arm swing around me. Now we were practically hugging, just like . . . when we were both younger.

"Of course, M-. Rei-chan."

I almost wanted to cry there and then, for the right reasons now, as I was now locked in his embrace. The warmth of his body pressing into me, and the soft firmness of his shoulder allowing my head to rest upon it. I didn't care that I was still in the clothes I had been wearing the night before, this moment was almost perfect.

I wished, that time and occasionally now, that we could have just laid there for a bit longer than we already had. But, after what was most likely a hold that lasted an extra fifteen minutes, Sebast finally came to the door to get him out of bed and ready for his month with Lord Tannin.

"Mr. Hyoudou, it is time."

He closed the door as fast as he had opened it. He made no such comments of the situation, rather he simply did his duty of passing along information and then left without delay.

But the message had been clearly received, and there was nothing more that I could do to delay his leaving any longer. I was released from his embrace and exposed to the chilliness of the morning sheets once his body started to slip out of the bed.

He took about five minutes to assemble his clothes and slip into them, all of which he made sure to do in the bathroom. Not that he n-needed to. H-he could have at le-. Never mind that; when he was finally done changing into his clothes for the day, I saw him walk towards the door, I started to escape from the covers.

"Wait!" I said, just before he could walk through the doorframe.

He stood by the entrance with his hand clasped to the handle, while I started to seat myself upon his bed as I watched him go. He turned around one last time, and with a half-asleep smile I said to him.

"Goodbye Issei. I'll see you at Christmas then."

I waited there staring at him for a while, hoping for a response from him.

". . . Yeah. Goodbye for now, m- . . . Ravel."

He smiled back and even lightly waved to me, before turning again and shutting the door behind him.

I was alone in his room. And Issei was now gone for the rest of the summer.

It took me another ten minutes before I was ready to leave the room and return to my own. I won't go into details of how I slumped backwards and fuddled around in the empty sheets for a while. But, I eventually worked up the courage to leave his room and that was all that needed to be said about that.

"Did you enjoy your early morning?"

My head turned as a voice suddenly called out from the corridors after I closed the door to Issei's room. To my right, I saw one of my brother's standing their leaning to the wall.

"Riser!"

Despite how early in the morning it was, I was still surprised to see the youngest of my elder brothers to still be up. He looked tired, which was unusual for him, seeing as it was our elder brother Rayzem who was usually the one to neglect sleep, while Riser relished at the thought of achieving his necessary hours of 'beauty sleep'.

It all started coming back to me; late that night when I returned home. The only one at home who was still awake was Riser. I was exhausted after sitting through such a late performance that I had nearly fallen asleep as I was walking through the halls.

Now it was all starting to make sense. I didn't even need to spell out what had happened between me teleporting home and me waking up in Issei's room. It had to have been Riser's doing.

"Even if you won't say it, the tone of your face is more than enough to satisfy my answer."

Of course I was going red in the face; flustered in anger and embarrassment that my cheeks were working overtime.

It was bad enough that I had to deal suddenly finding myself in his room. But then, to be embarrassing myself further by wanting more. My emotions were running on high and it was also confusing for me.

But . . . in spite of all that anger, and embarrassment, why was I so happy he did it? I couldn't work that out immediately for myself. It was too early for me to piece together why.

"Why?"

I had to ask him. He responded by rubbing he back of his head with his eyes half closed. His shirt got untucked as he raised his arm up.

"It wasn't just for you, considering how mopey you were all those times he wasn't around during his three years of training with the dragons. I saw him pull the same dead eyes you had some days while he was here alone for weeks. I did everyone a favour if you ask me."

I was generally shocked when I heard his answer; Riser, my elder brother who was known as the 'irresponsible one' was actually doing something that was beneficial to someone else. Was this really my brother I was talking to? That thought persisted, but his attitude couldn't be replicated by anyone except for him.

I would have responded with gratitude, or maybe adding in a bit of what the Japanese called a 'tsundere' response to his objective, but he looked about ready to leave. He turned his head and his whole body away as he stretched his arms out, expressing just how long he had been up all night.

"Don't say anything. I've already had an earful from Ruval and Rayzem over the specific of building my peerage. Still, one to go and I'll finally have my whole set of fifteen. *yawn* I need some shut eye for an hour. Maybe five."

As he turned to leave, I thought back upon his actions; despite my overreaction, I couldn't help denying that what Issei and I shared, even if it was too short, it was real and I felt it was real. The way he was holding me. The warmth of his embrace. Him, calling me by our nickname. I had wished there could have been more than just that one early morning.

Despite showing my anger to my brother, I was really grateful for what he had done, even if he had done it in his own Riser sort of way and logic.

I remembered my conversation years ago I had with Zemele, when I asked her about the rom-, I mean, when I asked hypothetically about her romance with my elder brother.

She was his Bishop and he was her King. And yet, they fell in love and got married. Next to the romantic stories of Maou Sirzechs and his Queen, or the Blue Knight and Silver Princess, I held general favour towards that of my elder brother and sister-in-law's love story. I had always thought that when I had gotten older that I might have a similar experience as she did, except I would be the King and . . . y-you know, all of that might of happened.

But, there was my engagement to think about; Yes, there was still that. It still wasn't going to be for another year at least, but it was only drawing nearer. In no time, I was going to end up being the bride of another high-class devil. But, it wouldn't be to the one I wanted.

But I couldn't do a thing about that.

I was going to lose.

I hated thinking that. But it was logical.

I was going to lose moments like this. I was eventually going to lose Issei.

I can't explain it. It just was so. He was always going to be there, but I was losing him by the day.

My thoughts started becoming more erratic as I tried to distract myself, but every time I found myself looping back to where I was before and getting myself into a right state of misery. We would still have the Rating games. Maybe?

Yes. Ewe promised to reach the top in our pledge together. It would still be our thing, even if I had a husband then. Nothing he could so could stop us from competing. We were going to reach the top and beyond to the sun if memory serves.

But, there was a problem to this idea; I still didn't know quite how to play.

I didn't know the first thing about games that anyone who hasn't played could only guess just by watching it. I didn't what it was like to actually be in the game let alone command it. And how would I be able to command anyone, I couldn't even expect to see myself giving out orders like that.

I didn't even know how I should be commanding, or to be a King. How would my pieces feel being ordered around by a girl who was blind to the game as a player?

I started thinking about how I was going to gain this needed experience if I wasn't even ready to start playing, when playing a Rating Game was exactly what I needed to do in order to get said experience. This was just looping around and around in my head quicker than I could even be committing it to words.

But in the end, there was one Idea that came to mind, even if it was one of the most ridiculous things to ever come to mind.

"Riser."

"Hmm? What is it, dear little sister? Don't tell me that now you want to express how angry you are?"

He didn't stop walking away, probably expecting another angry outburst from me, but I really did need him to listen to my proposition.

"No. I-I . . ." I steadied myself, for this big commitment I was about to make, as well as very large deal I was about to propose to him. "I have a favour I wish to request from you."

H paused for a minute after I said those words. Instead of continuing to walk away, he turned back around.

"Sure. I'll listen."

* * *

It was a lovely Friday afternoon, three weeks into the new school term for the autumn. I, **Kiba Yuuto** , stood alongside Koneko to see off our King and Queen for their weekend trip to Kyoto.

Apart from the Sport's day on the second week, not a lot has really come around despite the obvious signs of worry from both Buchou and Fukukaichou. I am not saying that Sport's day of course wasn't a fun schooling experience, but there were plenty of issue when it came to us devils competing. Measuring our respective strengths was not an easy thing for us to hold back on in the competitive spirit especially.

I tried my best not to let it get into my head, despite nearly doubling my speed during the relay. Yura had also managed to restrain herself during the tug-o-war, but her team still won without her breaking a sweat. Probably the funniest experience we had seen that day from Issei, who had won the third length of the high jump without a run-up and with a vertical jump, only to then realise his mistake and knocked the pole to insist his jump was disqualified. The power of suggestion prevailed this time, especially when it came to the other boys being loaded with easy shots to fire at him.

I really didn't pay much attention to anyone else's performances unfortunately since our classes often clashed in different events.

Before the bus was ready to depart, Buchou wanted to give us one last hug, which I think I speak for the two of us when I say it was greatly appreciated.

Especially when it came to issue regarding our safety during this weekend.

Though we had all been reassured (including Gasper), that we were all going to be perfectly safe. That need to explain it over and over again with us of what we needed to do in the emergency was also a show of care toward our wellbeing that was noticed and also admired from our Buchou.

I just feel a little sad that Gasper hadn't been here to share this touching moment with us, seeing as his safety was just as greatly warranted as our own. It was shame with his circumstances prohibiting him to be here with us for this.

Buchou finally after a long while unhooked herself from our embrace, but only really stopped hesitating with a kind hand offered by Akeno. As they both departed onto the bus, they said there last farewells for the week to the two of us.

"Farewell, my dear servants. I will see you both come Monday morning."

"Ufufu, just don't into too much trouble while we're away."

We stood there to wave them off, and after five minutes of standing there as the bus disappeared down the road and off into the distance did the two of us depart on to our respective homes.

The trip from the school in the West Kuoh district to our apartment complex in New Kuoh, it wouldn't take too long especially at this time in the evening between the school runs and the general closing of office times. So, for our walk, it was relatively peaceful and easier when we both needed to cross the roads.

The most refreshing part would definitely had been the short sleeved summer uniforms that were recently issued. Though the academy had initial trouble when it came to issuing boy's uniforms for students in their first year, it seemed it was not the case with the summer uniform that became available after the summer break had ended. It was certainly more airy than the winter uniform had been before school had ended for the term.

Though while I am saying that, the girl's summer shirts were very similar so it makes sense that they would get it right.

"I have a class meeting tomorrow."

I turned my head to the right after Koneko spoke up. Seeing as we usually walk home together, it wasn't an unusual occurrence to make small talk between the two of us. With Akeno recently moving into the old shrine in Old Kuoh, Gasper practically living in the Old School building under special permission from the Maou Lucifer., and Buchou's apartment being in Kuoh Central, it was not irregular for us to be going home in the same direction at the same time.

The unusual part was that today was Friday. So going to school tomorrow, on a Saturday, was the unusual part I was just getting to.

"Oh. Anything important?"

"No."

I could almost chuckle to myself over her ability to speak in the shortest way possible. I suppose it only adds to her charm, considering that she is already quite popular despite her attempts to avoid any of that hassle altogether.

"I see. Well, do your best to contribute where you can I suppose is the best advice I can offer."

. . .

"Where will you be?"

Oh, a first for me. Usually it would be I who would initiate any of the conversations. But that afternoon, it would seem that Koneko has a few curiosities of her own. I had to think about it first after getting over my initial surprise of course, but after putting my hand to my chin, it all started coming back to me.

"I think I do a little bit of cleaning around the clubroom either tomorrow of the day after. Something that Buchou or Akeno won't have to deal with when they come back."

. . .

"Do you think any of the Sitri group or Hyoudou-san will be doing anything while we're without Buchou or Fukukaichou?"

A second. That was definitely another first on Koneko's part, not that I wished to dampen on this progressiveness in the manner of verbal communications we were having between the two of us.

"I can't say what Issei's doing. He told me he was buying cleaning utensils and equipment, but he never expressly said why. And as far as I'm aware from what Momo-san has said, the rest of the Sitri group are basically trying to get Kusaka-san acquainted with the life of a devil."

Oh, I did forget to mention that Shitori-fukukaichou had gotten herself a new Bishop, Kusaka Reya, Class 1-B, so just a class below Momo, Issei and myself. I haven't really seen much of her, but I think that she may have approached my desk during last term at some point.

Forgive me that I cannot precisely recall every time someone comes to see me in and around school. Though I do remember her brown hair tied into braided twin-tails and a blue headband. Again, I must apologise for my imprecise memories.

"This is my crossing. Bye Kiba."

Oh. It would appear that in my own thoughts we had walked even further than I had anticipated, and now it was time for us to go our separate ways.

Yes, I did say that Koneko and I both lived in the same apartment complex. However, at the end of the week, Koneko always made sure to restock her snack supplies, so she takes a little detour towards the high street near the New Kuoh district.

She used to make the runs on Sunday, however after running out on the Thursday last term, she did a weekday run on Sunday, and a weekend run on the Friday to avoid having to go through my fridge and cupboards again. Not that I never minded to begin with.

"I'll see you again, Koneko."

As she crossed over the road and soon took the left back the way we came in order to reach the street towards the shops, I continued on to my own little patch in this very large town, as the sun continued to descend through the sky and ending this lovely evening.

* * *

As the presence of the two devil Kings and their Queens left the vicinity of the town, I, who is forced to wear the moniker of a pathetic human being by the name of **Sakuyama Daiki** , couldn't help but smile as their signatures escaped our detection.

"Our time has finally come" I spoke up to the echoes of the church we had made into our base. "The heiresses are in Kyoto, and too many miles now lie between them and us. Tomorrow, we can finally strike the first matches of the reigniting of our grand and glorious road to victory."

It would probably have looked sickening to any onlooker, but fuck I didn't care what they thought. The feeling of blood running between my fingers again. Painting my hands in red. The glory days I desired to return to after so long were about to come again.

My partner, Caraviel felt the same way.

"Yes. The deaths of the original Maou and of God himself has left our enemies at their weakest they have been in five millennia. Why Lord Azazel ever thought that making peace was an option is beyond me. But now he will have no choice but to finish what should have been over centuries ago. The fallen angels will emerge victorious."

"We shall overthrow the Archangels and take the throne of God. Then, all of the system will be ours to do with as we please. I can almost imagine my new halls littered in heavenly beauties . . . in chains."

Dreams filled our minds. The plot about to unfold the following day; my attack on the devils, starting with the one still in the school building, and that will draw the others like a moth the flames. And for Caraviel, a strike against the exorcists, starting with that girl still in-training. And if there are any bystanders, then them as well.

Well, if people get caught up in it, who cares. It will only make the tale of the revitalising of war that more juicer for the next generation of fallen angels.

"But, we mustn't forget to procure a gift for Lord Cimalon."

I stopped in my thoughts when our lord's name was invoked.

"Lord Cimalon is coming here?"

"Yes" he replied, nodding as spoke, "so we better leave a lovely red carpet for him to step on, from the school grounds to the dusty shed the exorcists call a chapel."

My face curled back into a second smile again when all thoughts swept back toward the thought of the coming day and what fortunes it would bring.

"Yes, and then we shall have war again."

It was the 6th October, a Saturday that I, **the [Christibefürworten]** , was walking from our base of operation in East Kuoh to the Old Kuoh District.

Why? Well, Father Mertens said he was heading out to New Kuoh, but never entailed why he was doing so. I had no work to do either from school or any part-time job to attend to, so he assigned me with visiting the heathen cemetery near the abandoned shrine to the false idol goddess, Irori.

Ok. Maybe I was a little too harsh upon the dead. I don't believe that it would be productive to critise a great many people who were dead and buried on that site long before the Lord's good word was brought to this land by the Jesuit priests. Even when the Jesuit's faith was also the wrong interpretation.

The devil heiresses of Sitri and Gremory had departed the day before late last afternoon, so it was a state of perplexity around this town. After hearing Father Merten's words about the sudden power vacuum that was now going to either preserver or destroy this delicate armistice around this island, I couldn't help but feel an itchy hand clutching my sheathed light sword. Even as I was walking the steep roads along the side of the summit of the mountain to reach west as I had done many times before during the weekdays.

The worst day of the new term had definitely been sport's day. I had thought for once that I may be able to do something I was better at than sit at a desk for six hours a day and fill my head with useless Japanese knowledge.

But no. The devils ruined that too. Especially the tug-o-war; that blue haired devil servant of Sitri. It may have only been subtle, but I noticed she never sweat that entire contest of strength. Though she may have made it look like she was holding back, I was certain that she was still unfairly allowing her team to win.

As expected of devils to cheat in friendly competitions as well.

That didn't matter now though. As if it mattered who won what in a school sports event when the literal fate of the world as we know it could be turned upside down in matter of minutes, let alone days-

"It's a fine autumn afternoon, is it not?"

I unsheathed my blade as I rolled to meet the direction of that voice. The sliminess of its tone was enough to set off warning signs in my head. I had too much training not to react to that level of danger.

Though it wasn't his presence that had alarmed me. It was that it took me this long to notice he was here before he suddenly showed up.

As I turned to face the voice, I was unpleasantly greeted by the sight of a boy in uniform descending down the stairs. If I had paid closer attention initially, I would have seen his feet barely moving as he reached the street below where I was standing my ground.

Dark hair that spiked up like some dark lord's crown, and green eyes that locked on to you like a pair of missiles. His most horrid feature was this gum-filled smile he was now pulling. If two hooks had been placed at either side of his cheeks, it still wouldn't reach as far as you could compare to the disgusting smile plastered to his face.

"Is this how you treat your school chums? My, my. *tut*tut*tut* Girls shouldn't be playing with swords now unless they're in the kendo club, now should they?"

I hated his cocky sounding attitude. If I could have thrown up, I would have to cover up the stink of his persona wafting through the wind.

"You're . . . Sakuyama-san, correct? Class 1-A?"

He looked a little puzzled for a moment, as he grabbed his face with his thumb and index finger, until he pulled it away and he was smiling again.

"Yes. That is indeed the identity my comrade took while he was infiltrating your school. But this is merely an illusion I am wearing just so you would think twice before striking. I would have hated not being able to torment you before the oncoming war began anew."

I bared my fangs and held myself, but I couldn't very well move backwards into the road, and I doubted that he would let me disappear to either his left or right if he allowed me. No matter how much my eyes turned from him to the surroundings, I seemed to have corned myself by arming myself. If I had been old enough to be issued a pistol, I probably could have at least had a 20% chance of landing a first hit, but as it was that was not it for me.

I left my stupid phone on charge at home too, so calling for aid was not among my option either. Not that I was thinking he would allow me to dial for anyone.

"Well" I said as I decided to itch a little to the right, "I need to go then. Excuse me."

*THUNK*

My path was blocked by a spear of dark light. The ground barely withstood it as the pavement slab cracked in half under pressure and parts of the debris fell into the road. None of the passing cars even noticed this as they continued to drive on every so often behind me.

I looked back up again, but this time the face looking back at me was not at the one I assumed was Sakuyama's; it was longer like a pear. His eyes were a vile looking cyan that looked so artificial that it was processed in a factory. His teeth were a bright yellow and they were close to becoming golden brown. His hair was barely there, except for three Mohawks that ran across his head like his head had been cartoonishly run over by a passing vehicle or a lawnmower.

His size also increased to the point that parts of the uniform looked too small to contain his piggish appearance.

"I will not."

It was then that he dropped his school blazer as the sclera of his eyes turned to black, and his horrid yellow teeth bared more. From his back, out sprouted a pair of murky and night-shrouding black wings. Not fleshy, leather bat wings. These were most definitely featured bird ones, that added piles to the leave that painted the autumn pavements.

"Fallen Angel."

He proceeded to laugh a little as he no longer pretended to be walking down, but floating instead, as he ripped off his long sleeves and flexed his bony fingers to his sides.

"Well, it certainly doesn't take a genius to work that out, Miss Exorcist-chan."

From his hands, he produce a series of light spears like two large swords and gripped them tightly.

"Tell you what: let's skip the whole honorifics thing these Japs are so fixated on, shall we?"

He dashed forward so quickly that I didn't have time to counter, and had to hold myself as he swung both blades from his left. Our blades of light collided, but his momentum knocked me off balance. I fell, not on the road, but over it. I collided into the barrier that separated the concrete from the drop into the woods, but somersaulted over and fell down the side regardless.

I cut myself on a tree across the cheek on the way down, but years of exorcist training allowed me to avoid injuring myself worse than that. I hit the trunk a couple of times and bruised myself, but once I was on the ground, I was already back to my fee despite the pain now afflicted to my right leg and face.

As I stood in the shade of the trees, I was now surrounded in forestry. My guard was up further than 100%, now that my enemy had an infinite number of places to hide in plain sight. Worse still was his ability to hide so well despite being very close as he had done only shortly before.

If only I could have shut his mouth up before taking that fall. He seemed to thrive in stealthily mocking me with that soothingly sour voice of his.

"Am I he~re?"

I heard his ghastly voice whispering through the wind. I shot round in several directions following the rustling in the leaves and in the bushes.

"Or am I the~re?"

I had no time to erect a barrier. I had to stay in the woods where no one would get hurt. If only I packed something useful instead of that camera of all things.

"No? Or how about he~re? *kukukukuku*"

I hated hearing his laugh. It reminded me of some phantom thief I caught a short glimpse of while flicking through the TV channels-

*THRANG*

Scheiße! _(shit!)_ It was a close one. A light spear took off the sleeve and some part of my shirt, but I was able to dodge without a serious injury save for a light rash across my skin where it had made direct contact.

"Who do you work for? Grigori?"

I continued to swivel around on my toes. Even knowing that the light spear had struck me from the north east, I was certain he would not be there again. Vigilance was key, but I had also hoped that in his cockiness that he might expose his precedence if I distracted him long enough with talk.

However, it was not needed, much to my fortune. Or misfortune as I interpreted it for a time.

"*pffft* As if I could work for those cowar-"

*thunk*

"Aaargh!"

*swoosh*swish*thud*

I jumped back in surprised as the fallen fell to the ground right from above me. I had my back to the cliff side from where I had initially tumbled down from during our first parrying. Then, at my feet, another item dropped.

It was a light yellow in colour, with a red top, and only when I looked at it did I notice that it was not just any sort of rubbish you would expect to be thrown from a moving car window. More specifically, it had been crushed into a convenient spherical shape for the hand in order to throw.

The bottle was only plastic, but the force that must have been in that throw must have definitely of been stronger than that of a regular human.

"Who the fuck did that?"

That's exactly what I wanted to know, but the fallen angel, who had literally fallen from the trees

"You really chose a poor place to hide. You forget that devils can see in the shade better than we can in the light. Finding you above the tree line made you an easy target."

A new voice emerged, but it wasn't like the fallen's; it was a more easily heard, but confident voice as opposed to slick and cocky that I had been bombarded with in the woods. I was filled with a mixture of both relief, but at the same time I admit to have been very much cautious about the new arrival to the fight.

With a throwing arm like that, I had no doubt that the next being was powerful, but I was unable to detect that much either as I had with the fallen.

But when he emerged from the shrubs and into sight, I was shocked to see it was him; the servant to the devil Phenex. Even in summer clothes and not his uniform, I could not mistake the one devil in the school with the gold seal of Phenex printed on his left hand.

Then, he caught sight of me in the corner of his eye, and spoke something.

"Exorcist?"

I saw his lips move, but he didn't make his voice loud enough for me to hear. But, I am sure that's what he was saying when the two of us locked eyes with each other.

Was it that he didn't know I was here to begin with, or that he didn't know that I was an exorcist or at least affiliated with the church that he was now looking less composed than when he first burst intrusively unto the scene?

Expectantly of devils.

I was surprise when he whipped himself back and looked back at the thing now crawling through the leaves while rubbing the back of his head after being hit squarely by an empty bottle.

"Rogue angels, black wings or white, who violate the armistice set about by the Three Factions under the Treaty of Jericho are treated the same as a stray devil. Should one trespass on the territory under currently devil ownership, it is the same as declaring a personal attack on the owners themselves."

The fallen spat out a few leaves that had gotten caught in the side of its mouth and it tried to re-ascend, but found the low treeline now restricting much of his ascent. He hovered above the ground, but then moved his position to have both he and I in one frame instead of either side.

"*pfft* Oh, good. I guess this means that I get to hit at both factions at the same time. An exorcist of the church, and a servant of the devils. I guess that means Throneyah won't be the only one hunting devils today."

"What make you think I'd be teaming up with him?" I exclaimed in disgust.

The Phenex devil just looked at me in confusion, but nevertheless he kept his guard up, but not at me, even if I was still weighing my options between holding my blade against the both of them at the instant either of them moved any closer.

"You want to keep the peace, I want to keep the peace. He wants war. The enemy of my enemy-"

"I'm not making friends with a devil . . . even if you're right. As much as my pride hates admitting that."

". . . I was going to say temporary ally."

Despite his last added quip, I much rather preferred the idea of a two verses one situation over having to cover myself on two different fronts in a Mexican standoff against two supernatural beings. Father Mertens words also echoed through my memory about the devils finding more benefits in peace and their absolute commitments when it came to contractual agreements.

It almost disgusts me that I am pleased that I can actually trust a devil to have my back in this fight.

The only one not so thrilled was the fallen, and for good reason.

"Shut up, the both of you!" he yelled, as he raised an arm in the air to produce another light spear. "Carve this into your skulls, for this is the day that you were slain by the soon to be war hero, Caraviel!"

In a rage of blinding dark light, the field around us turned to white. The starting bell had been struck. A battle was soon to begin.

* * *

 _A trip to Kyoto_

 _spurs all misfortunes to spring_

 _on this Autumn day._

 _Not what I wanted,_

 _when I returned passed summer;_

 _to be cast again._

 _But, with them away_

 _I may yet loose the chains and_

 _unleash the Dragon_

* * *

 **Omake XI: Tied Up At The Moment**

 **Alek:** (camera close up of his face slowly panning out) Hello there everyone. You maybe wondering why I am _a little_ late with this update. I'll tell you . . . (camera zooms out to reveal him ensnared in chains) IT'S BECAUSE I'M A LITTLE TIED UP AT THE MOMENT!

 **Ravel:** (angry) Are you sure that's the reason?

 **Alek:** (rolling his eyes) Look, I got rid of your cat ears. All is even now, right?

 **"Izumi"** : (red with anger) I'm still a girl!

 **Alek:** Then you shouldn't of knocked me over. (trying to rub his knee, then realising he can't reach) It's bad enough that the gun cannot work like it use to, but now I can't even lick my wounds.

 **Ravel:** You still didn't answer the question.

 **Alek:** (offended) Hey! I did all my work AND I got this out in time for Easter . . . *cough* _Tuesday_.

 **"Izumi":** (rubbing "her" eyes) Tuesday is not Easter. Easter Monday barely qualifies as Easter to begin with.

 **Alek:** (rolls his eyes) Ok. I almost got distracted by all the ads that are appearing on websites I was using. Thankfully, I clicked away from them. Well . . .

 **"Izumi":** What?

 **Alek:** I nearly clicked on a one that would had led me to *cough* _an unsavoury site_.

 **Ravel:** (disgusted with him) You are a sick person.

 **"Izumi":** (Unfortunately realises "she" would be calling the kettle black if "she" disagreed) I can relate to that.

 **Ravel:** (turns on him angrily) Don't you start, Ise-senpai!- (suddenly get's cut off when a rift opens in the universe)

 **User:bk42bk42:** (teleports in via shadows) Yes, still the same one, still too lazy too log back in. Just in case you are wondering, my waifu from another fandom is a character from the anime "RWBY", which is made by people called Rooster Teeth. If you want to know who, look at the main characters and find the female with a scythe. Also, the cookies are magically enhanced. They are made however the eater wants them made. Now then, I have a request from my waifu's older sister. (takes a picture of "Izumi" after forcing "her" into a bikini) One last thing and then I am done, Alek, you are now a "Shadow Apprentice", meaning you have some power over shadows, at the moment you only have shadow travel, which is how I get here, and shadow forge, shadow travel is obvious while shadow forge enables you to do stuff like this. (creates a scythe made of literal shadows) Now then, bye! (swings shadow scythe to create a rift, leaves through rift, rift closes)

 **Ravel:** (stops for a minute). . . That was . . . random? (snaps out of it while "Izumi" runs to get new clothes on) Anyways, we were talking about you, perverted Authur-san!

 **Alek:** (stops struggling after realising shadow powers don't work while being tied in these chains) B-Believe me it wasn't easy to click away from, but I did . . . eventually. (stars in his eyes and drooling) _There are a lot of characters in anime with blue hair, but only one has a single, beautiful green bang over their foreheads._

 **Xenovia:** (clueless) Is he talking about me?

 **Asia:** (everyone else deadpans for a second) Um, I think that's what he implied.

 **Rose:** (pulling on the chains) You brought this on yourself, Author-san. Anyways, with Gleipnir now restraining you, you're powerless even in this realm. These are the very same bindings that kept Fenrir from proceeding with eating Odin-dono and starting Ragnarok.

 **Alek:** (concerned) Then why the hell are you using it on me when- (recalling past events aka BorN) . . . oh yeah, I forgot about his big power nerf.

 **"Izumi":** (returns in new clothes while looking smug) Plus, now we have a way of keeping you tied down, and one that will keep you from talking for a while.

 **Alek:** (really panicking now, as he tries to wrestle himself free) . . . Y-y-y-y-y-you wouldn't!

 **"Izumi"** : This is for letting **User:bk42bk42** in here. (leaning in) . . . _Have you improved writing your English yet?_

 **Alek:** (whites out to the point he's foaming in the mouth) . . . k . . . k . . . k-k. (topples over to his side)

 **Ravel:** (surprised how effective it still is) . . . Wow. And I don't even think the newer fans even understand how effective that has always been.

 **Asia:** (concerned) Is Author-san going to be ok?

 **Ravel:** He'll be fine. Besides, we don't need him for the reviews since I had him write it down before we knocked him out:

『 To **User:** **Which_Brew** : Well thank you very much. ( _save me_ )

To **User:Malhavoc_Shadowlord** : Oh yes he will . . . next time. ( _come get me please_ )

To **User:Gushi_Jiangshi** (formerly **User:RuinHuntr** ): Not in a very long time I'm afraid ( _they're insane_ )

To **User:Dragon_Rider_66** : It's like you can read the future ( _why didn't you warn me beforehand that this would happen?_ ) ( _oh, and save me please_ )

To **User:AcclaimingTR** : S and SS class are basically top tier High-class level ( _they're going to kill me_ ), but not Ultimate-class. ( _I think I might actually die_ )

To **User:ahsoei** : Yes, I did see that conundrum come up when i was writing that scene. ( _call someone_ ) I did call it to question after the slight edit, but basically I imagine that deliberately hitting it with an attack that doesn't strike head on would make it ill effective. ( _call anyone_ )

To **User:ShiroKishi4** : Thanks ( _call the police_ )

To **User:Dr4cul** : I would like one ( _send for help_ ) And I will bring Koneko here at some point ( _find the keys_ )

To **User:RedSS** : See you when you return ( _soon please_ ) Well, I can't use the gun again right now, but I definitely will. ( _ask another time_ ) ( _oh, and I need new batteries_ )

To **User:** **bk42bk42** : Uh, thank you for popping by ( _come back!_ )

To **User:** **desdelor97** : Thank you for your comment ( _get me out of here_ )

To **User:** **WarsmithDantioch** : Thank you so very much ( _help me_ ). And I will give them my regards ( _kill them all_ ).

and To **Guest (1):** Don't worry, your wish has been granted sooner than you think ( _save me_ )』

 **Ravel:** (sighing) He is really starting to slack off in this department. (turning to everyone else) Well, Asia, Xenovia, Rossweisse. Since we have basically usurped Alek-sama's authority, I'll be sending you all home.

 **Rose:** (raising her hand) Actually, I need to return those chains after I'm using them. Vidarr-dono's orders.

 **Asia:** Well I guess this is goodbye then. (politely bowing) I hope to see you all when you get back.

 **Xenovia:** (nodding in agreement) Yes. And, if you need our help, then call us back in. Anything for our King, and our future husband.

 **"Izumi":** (as both Asia and Xenovia step into the portal out of the universe)*sniff* You girls are too good to me.

 **Alek:** (realising Xenovia is leaving) No! Wai- (realises it's too late) . . . *sniff*

 **"Izumi":** (rolls "her eyes") Well, that's it for now. (smiling evilly) We will be keeping Alek-sama chained up for a while so in your reviews send us a form of torture you would like us to put him through additionally if you would.

 **Alek:** (gulps)

 **Ravel:** And I think he wants to apologise to everyone disappointed with the long delays as of recently. And if you're just a hater, please, contribute as well. The more vile the better.

 **Alek:** (shudders)

 **Rose:** (coughing) Well then, until the next time we meet, this is goodbye for now.

 **Everyone:** Bye-bye!

 **Alek:** (sobbing) *sniff* . . . yeah. Bye and all.

 **"Izumi":** But you know, there is one particular element to being female now

 **Alek:** (makes one last snide remark) What? You don't need to grope someone else's breasts now- (realises that he is surrounded by said "other breast") . . . Oops.

 **"Izumi"** : (shakes "her" head) No. Not. That. (raises "her" left arm, before a familiar **["{Boost!}"]** appears) By this universe's logic I get to use this now to my heart's content.

 **Alek:** (whites out again as Ravel starts lighting fires and Rossweisse has her Valkyrie armour equipped as well) . . . _Mother._

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'Which Brew', 'Malhavoc Shadowlord', '** **Gushi Jiangshi** **', 'Dragon Rider 66', 'AcclaimingTR', 'ahsoei', 'ShiroKishi4', 'Dr4cul', 'RedSS', 'bk42bk42', 'desdelor97', 'WarsmithDantioch', and 'Guest (1)' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **So, I'm off for Easter, so I will be trying to get back into weekly updates. But, I am a little rusty so expect it to start a little slow. I will be aiming to get the next one out next week, or the week after tops.**

 **Oh, and special notice; if you go to dxdfanon wiki, I have created a page dedicated to the Deftodiz language. There's no spoilers, but it saves a little on world building here.**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**

 **. . . Someone help me please!**


	12. Attack on Kuoh Part 1

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release. I just found out that Serafall Leviathan's first name is supposed to be "Seraphoroux". Weird, right? I'm not changing my mind on it though.**

 **Oh, and I have** **gotten a cover image now. There is that. Ok, moving on.**

* * *

With a fallen angel in front, and an exorcist to my left, it was certainly not the situation that I, **Hyoudou Issei** , was expecting to find on this Saturday afternoon. Not with what I had planned to do this weekend either especially.

I had actually come across the situation by complete accident on my way passing the road towards Old Kuoh district, when I happen to see a human sized dent in the barrier on the road and a trail of black feathers scattered across the stairs. Least I say anymore toward my suspicion of what had occurred.

I had no idea what had happened, but being able to hear the sound of a light spear being thrown, I generally assumed that it was the worst situation possible. I ended up abandoning my bag at the pavement except for a bottle I was about to dispose of before descending down the hillside in that direction.

I just wish to illustrate that I in no way support the use of throwing rubbish at people, except at stray devils or rogue angels of course. In the shade of the trees with a passing cloud over the sun, it was certainly easier to find the scum's location with his back turned before a well-placed knock to his head caught him off guard.

Though, in hindsight, maybe getting involved with an exorcist wasn't the smartest of ideas. I had only assumed she was human when I arrived, but that light sword in her grasp spelled a bad decision when I realised.

Thank the Maou she was reasonable enough to see me as the lesser of two threats rather than making my careless intervention useless and time-wasting for me.

Dressed for summer in jeans that only just covered her knees and a white coloured zipped lightweight jacket over a reddish t-shirt. It was no surprise that she was covered in slight traces of mud and a few leaves sticking to her clothing from where she had fallen.

Her hair was light in colour. Blonde, but a very light and silvery kind, though I wouldn't say it was platinum. It appeared darker like a soft brown beneath the first layer, and the longest strands only reached as far down as her shoulder blades. Eyes like bright amber, which to be perfectly honest were a lot more human than the fallen angel's.

The fallen angel by comparison was a horrific sight. Only that much more human like than any stray devil I had encountered before; I wouldn't have said that it was black, but its hair was definitely a terribly dark colour. His eyes sclera matched perfectly with his hair, while his eyes were an eerie shade of bright yellow like his teeth. Both were also sharp and pointed like knives. He had wings, four in number but not in pairs.

He was also dressed head to toe in all black and long-sleeved clothing, jumper and slacks, with a hood now hiding the brow of his face after getting a hit on the noggin.

He made some grandiose speech about how he would be attaining status through war victories he had yet to obtain. My ears simply funnelled his rambling through one and out the other without so much of a syllable imprinting on my grey matter.

When he signalled his intention to attack, it came with a flash of light, and then all of our bearings were gone from sight. An obvious trick for beings to adept at using photonic energy as a weapon. What was worse was how much it stung, not only because it was holy energy infused into that light, but the heightened nocturnal eye sight in devils made the shift in brightness that much worse.

"{Promotion: Rook!}"

I changed my Evil Piece attribute in reaction to the situation; I suspected the first attack would come at me, the bigger threat and the one to whom the light based attacks would have the greatest advantage over. Prepping the Rook trait meant I had the best chances of defence should that have been the case, and the ability to utilise my preference for close ranged attacks when I had the opportunity to counter.

Fortunately for me, but not fortunate for my temporary ally, his lunge attack was directed at the exorcist.

*shi~ink*

I could barely see, but the sound of steel on light resonated through the air. I steered myself in that direction, but continued to hold my ground until my sight had returned.

The blades of the exorcist and the rogue angel continued to class while little by little my eyes tried to readjust to the surroundings again after suffering severe pains to my retina.

*shink*shink*Sssshh-rank* . . . *flick*shink*shink*shink*shink*sh-*flick*swoop*shink* . . . *flick*

By the time I had sight again, I could see the clash of blade against blade. Though it looked like the two were holding their own, it was evident that the fallen had the advantage in speed and power. The exorcist was barely managing to parry his attacks, but it was admirable to see her efforts.

Although a few cuts were present against her arm and legs, and one that lightly grazed her cheek, she hung in there. Her stance was still holding, but the obvious disadvantage of a human body would likely take its toll on her against one of the supernatural.

I wasn't doubting her training, nor her proficiency with a sword. But, there was the glaringly obvious difference between which of the two was using up more of her stamina to keep up with her opponents moves.

Catching her sword in two blades, he swung his wing around to knock her off balance. He kicked her in the gut with her guard temporarily down, before lunging towards me with the momentum from that kick-off.

I locked my arms in front of me, blocking my view whilst protecting my face. I knew that he was still armed with light spears, but opening my head up would have ended this bout without any protection. I could mentally picture Ddraig screaming to be released throughout the entire fight.

"Double skewering, coming your way!"

*Shlick!*Shlick!*

Striking his into my shoulders and then driving forward with his wings pushing me back, the pain was excruciating. Without the defence of the Rook, I might have had those spears cleanly slice through and lost both my entire arms without any form of a chance to fight back.

Maou knows where Ddraig would have appeared after that. I don't even think I want to imagi- . . . never mind.

With both his weapons now firmly stuck, but still driving the pain sensation through my body, I split apart my arms in forceful fashion. The action smashed both my arms against the fallen's, forcing his grip on the spears to cease as they shattered from the impact.

"Guh!"*thwack!*

Leaving him no time to react, I head-butted him before leaping from danger. I rolled across the ground before regrouping with the exorcist picking herself off the ground.

My wounds smoked for a while, but they ceased with a light patting, like putting out a small fire on your clothes.

He came at me again after ridding himself of the mild concussion I gave him. But this time, I had him; Instead of allowing the next attack, I timed the attack and caught his face again while he was stuck in his momentum. The idiot came at me for a poorly planned counter after being

Still, that pain to my shoulders really didn't utilise my arms strength to the best of this {promotion's} abilities. At the very least, the defence meant the damage had been as minimal as I could have done without a certain red scale mail covering me.

He went flying into the bushes with a couple of tumbles, but he had no time to recuperate with the exorcist back on her feet. She ran passed me with a few lunges; one clipped a few feathers, but the second just left her vulnerable when he simply whacked her into the tree behind.

The exorcist got back to her feet and lunged again, but misses short of a light spear blocking her attack. A second spear appeared, but only ripped the right sleeve from her shirt as she avoided it at the cost of her balance.

Not the wisest choice I made, but I decided to step in before she ended up impaled with a returning spear to her guts. I aimed for the head, however the time between the attack connecting was too long that he saw it coming. Instead of dodging, he pulled himself up a useful shield.

I would blame her for getting straight back up from her tree and attacking during my turn, but . . . I actually cannot think of a reason not to throw the blame back at her.

My hand made contact with her light sword. The obvious sign was the trail of smoke and pain that followed shortly after.

"Tsss!"

To say that the pain didn't hurt was an understatement; imagine the pain a superconductive wire that had a live current running through it, then imagine that said wire had been conducting for so long the the metal was reaching boiling point. Take said metal and think how it would feel to smack for closed fingers against. That kind of pain would be less than a quarter of the incurring irritation you get just by lightly grazing yourself against one of these light swords as a devil.

There was literal smoke emanating from both my hand and the blade. Had my skin remained there for much longer, I probably would have seen a bit more gore left over from the brief intermission of touching.

But, I had experience with holy silver before, and my body naturally flinched when it came into contact with a weapon of similar properties. Lord Alsiel's nets really do a number on your skin if you lay on them for so long.

With my hand writhing in pain I had not mentally prepared for, the fallen used her like a bat to knock the both of us deeper into the woods.

*twi~ish*twish*Crack!*Crack!*Cr-THUMP!*

After bursting through the bushes, and crashing through a couple of trees before the third one broke the speed at last. Half buried into its bark, I took most pf the damage, but the trait of the Rook as well as my devil physiology meant it did little more than bruise my back.

The exorcist should have considered her good luck having used me as a cushion throughout the entire ordeal. Her response however once she regained her bearings and fell to the ground was to immediately push me away.

"Hey! Watch it!"

She sung her sword in my direction of all things before I too got out of the tree. It creaks a little, which I then noticed was because more than half of the original tree was now splinters, hut it held itself together and didn't spontaneously fall the moment I dug myself free.

"You watch it, I nearly melted on that thing!"

"It's you- Guh!"

She fell to her knees gripping her side. Her clothes started dying red while the rest of the skin went purple and blue beneath her palm. Her right hand reached to her left side and plucked a stick buried into her hip before throwing it to the shrubbery. She slammed her blade into the ground and used it like a crutch to get herself to her feet without my assistance.

Not that I had offered to begin with, but her eyes glaring daggers, either from the pain or just because she didn't particularly want the touch of a devil against her skin. Something like that.

Regardless of the situation, she got back up and to her feet with enough balance. She took her zipped jacket she was wearing and wrapped the wound before double knotting it around her waist.

There were a couple of noticeable scars on each of her arms and her partially exposed torso, contrasting the new cuts and bruises that she had already received from our previous round with the rogue angel. Even without the obvious signs of having engaged in previous combat with string beings, the look of frustration and gritting willpower was written all across her expression. Not an inkling of novice fear could be found much to my surprise.

I brushed myself a little as I kept my ears firmly wide and turning in every direction when it went too quiet everywhere I looked.

"Hehehee. Kakaka-kakakakakaka-kakakaka-kakaka."

Only a voice could be heard as it cackled through the trees, leaving the two of us in complete isolation. It was enough to gouge your own ears over by how disgustingly drivelous it echoes in the greenery. Then the two of us, the exorcist and I, turned out back to each other as his equally revolting voice starting resonating after.

"Children, children. Let's stop all this pointless bickering. If you don't play nicely together, then none of us will have any fun."

I looked around trying to find him, but the consistent interference of light spear bombardments caught us both by surprise until he suddenly stopped.

He had vanished somewhere into the tree line, with more than just the wind now rustling the branches in all directions, leaving the two of us to watch from each other's backs as we awaited his next attack. The sound of bird chirping and cawing as they took flight in fright when a heavier set of wings bounded from treetop to treetop above our heads.

* * *

The weekend meeting was over. It was around 4:30 in the afternoon. Way too late for a meeting to have taken, but everyone arrived later than 12. But that was when everyone started packing up.

I, **Toujou Koneko** , wanted to just go home. I could have done better things that they then what we came here for.

It was a wasted Saturday to be honest. I just sat at my chair in the circle and munched away. None of the other girls even batted an eye the entire time.

I didn't even remember what they were discussing. But, I had no doubt that I wouldn't enjoy whatever they had planned.

My bag of snacks for the day was already empty. Down to my last packet of crisps, it was the lightly salted kind I had intended for distracting others if they started circling me. I was halfway through that packet. I never needed to use it. So, I was finishing it.

As I started walking away from the middle school hall, I needed to go to the clubroom when I remembered that I might had left a box of _Pocky_ (Mikado) in one of the draws of Buchou's desk. It was for safe keeping. And for situations like this where I would be running out.

In this autumn sun, I was worried that it would be getting too hot that the entire packet would have melted. While the room was usually kept in the shade due to the dark being better suited for our eyes, I doubted that they had been left that way.

Making it unto the high school grounds using the short route over the fence, I half-ran towards the old school building. Up the stairs and across the corridor. I thought that I could have visited Gasper on the way, but that good-for-nothing-vampire was not worth the trouble of wasting time trying to make contact with. He was too jumpy. It would have been a waste of energy for the both of us.

I reached the clubroom and went through Buchou's desk. I searched the lower draw, and found my Pocky. I was lucky they were still cool enough that they didn't melt in the heat. I then walked out of the building.

I thought about going back the way I came, but going through the high school entrance was quicker. I started walking around through the new building. But, by the time I had reached the front door, I realised I had walked in on a trap.

"Well, hello there, my little kitty cat."

I stood there, facing with a figure standing at the front entrance.

He had black bird wings.

Disgusting.

"I was expecting to see one of the girls from the student council, but you'll do just fine."

I dropped my packet of Pocky. It was empty anyways.

I jumped back and then readied myself.

"No need to get defensive so quickly."

He summoned a light spear in his right hand. He looked like he was about to throw it like a javelin.

"I just came to play. It's called 'play dead, and stay dead'."

He threw it, but I managed to avoid it.

I rolled to my right, but then had to jump. I nearly got hit again by a second light spear. Then a third came flying toward me.

He ripped a front part of my uniform.

. . . Pervert.

I huffed at the tear to my shirt. He just ogled at the sight of my bra beneath the rip.

. . . Super Pervert.

I had no time for him. I had to activate the alarm. To warn Buchou and Fukukaichou. It was Saturday, which meant no one else should have been in the building. So I start running for the Student Council room.

"Hey! The game's not over yet! Come back here!"

Ignored.

I just continued to run through the corridors. I reached the stairs and jumped. Not on then. I jumped straight to the next floor.

I kept running, while he cheated. He smashed through the floor and blocked my path.

"Nah-ah-ah~! That place is off bounds for now-"

"Toujou-san!"

I heard a voice call from behind. I looked and it was one of my classmates. Nimura Ruruko-san. I didn't talk with her much. I only sat next to her. She would occasionally borrow my books when she forgot her own. She was quiet in class other than that.

I didn't mind her.

"Toujou-san. What is-?"

"Found you!"

I had no idea why she was in this building to begin with. So, I ran in her direction and grabbed her by the arm. Then we started running as far as possible.

"Kyah!"

*Boom!*

The shock of it must have been hard. I didn't bother to correct the strength of my grip nor my dragging. It was an emergency situation after all.

She was still human. If she were to get caught up, she would die.

"Hey, wait! Where are you going now?"

*BOOM!*

The floor behind us was destroyed. But I kept on pulling us away from the fight. She screamed and almost shook herself from my grip. I have a strong grip though. She also knew it was better to run than stay.

"Casualties of war. Yes, that's what I'll call this! No, better yet! Let's finally bring the real humans into this! One girl is all it takes, and then we'll have total war to its finest."

*BOOM*

"Kyah!"

He threw another spear, but this time beneath our feet.

I pulled us to the side and broke into a classroom. But he was still hot on our trail. I broke a hole through the floor and jumped to both of us through to the ground floor.

* * *

*Hwoop!*"Arrch!"

My foot stumbled a little when I, **the [Christibefürworten]** , tried to avoid an incoming heretic's light attack. The pain to my hip was unbearable, but in the face of a devil to my back and one of the watchers circling the two of us like a vulture waiting for the dying to become food, I would have gritted my teeth till they were fine powder before I showed either of them how injured I was.

*Chink!*"Shit!"

Another light spear came, but this time it caught the devil in his right calf. Having already sustained a few attacks to his right leg and one to his right hand to add to the two he allowed to his shoulders, the holy damage to his body was starting to take its toll as his stance was shaking and his words stuttered between choked exhales.

He kicked the spear to pieces with a clean swing of his shoe and then place his hand over it. I don't know what kind of cauterising magic he was using, but the wounds still looked pretty tender from my view, even after an orange magic circle appeared between his hand and the wound.

It's not that I cared whether another devil survived, but considering that fighting this fallen alone was a death sentence in itself, I would rather have it helping me rather than dying before that watcher.

He staggered back up, and then started talking while trying to hold to his breath with a strenuously angry face. Even from turning my back to him as his did to mine, we shot each other a few glances between conversations while we continued to watch our surroundings.

"Ok, *gasp* since we seriously cannot both attack him *gasp* in close quarters again, *gasp* and since coordinating *gasp* our attacks clearly don't work. *gasp* We *gasp* need another plan. Preferably one where *gasp* this guy *gasp* doesn't catch onto before we have time to-!"

*Shink*

Another spear came flying through the leaves, but this time he knocked it aside with the back of his hand. There was a slight hissing sound like melting, but it was cut short by a patting sound afterwards.

I didn't need to listen to the rest of his conversation to know what he was going on about; the memory of our combined assault at the same time still aches my hip remembering how I attained this wound in the first place. And, I can be certain he remembers the pain of my blade to his . Forget pure light, a light and silver combo must have been painful to his receptors by his reaction.

"Praise the Lord for his infinite mercy is giving this Fallen such an ego what he continues to toy with us."

"I'll let that slide because that pain is nothing compared to the potential of dying."

He stopped talking a whole when a couple more spears flew through the clearing and over our heads. A third I raised my right leg to avoid, when a fourth was deflected from my blade. A fifth brushed from behind my ears, but I was certain that it missed the both of us.

"So" he continued from his sentence earlier, "Since we're a Power-type and Technique-type, w-"

I cut him off.

"What?"

Power-type? Technique? I knew what the words meant, but I had no idea what they meant to this situation?

He caught on fairly quickly and tried to alter the words like a Thesaurus . . .

". . . Oh, right. Um, I'm more focused around using a Rook's abilities of attack and defence, while-"

. . . Not that it made any difference.

"What does chess have to do about real life and death situation?"

I could imagine his eyes rolling, which should have been my cue with all the complications he was making to get his point across.

"Ok; what are they teaching you at exorcist school? Seriously?"

I could have skewered him. I even told him so after how much this discussion was hurting my brain and just generally, Lord forgive, pissing me off.

"I have a light sword that is more than willing to geld you with if you insult me again."

*Thwack*Shink*shink*Shink*Thwomp*

A few more light spears emerged from the woods. Three came for me, with two coming before and after that were handled by the devil to my back. I deflected my three with my blade before they could even reach me, while I presumed he either punched or kicked his.

The smell of smoke was starting to build a little in the surrounding air. He coughed a little too, but I wasn't sure is he was spitting just his saliva, or if there was anything red coming out of it.

I wouldn't admit it to him, but my own mouth was already bleeding from how hard I was straining to continue standing, and my nose wasn't handling the pressure very well either.

"Ok" he finally said, "I'm just going to cut the middleman out of this sentence; do you have anything for long range? Guns, throwing knives? I'll take magically blessed stones if you have any on you."

I would have retorted how stupid he was for nit seeing that I didn't exactly have a bag on me where I could be hiding all these magical stones he thought I would be lugging around with me all day and all night. However, I was too exhausted to argue anymore and I was sick to death of continuing this fight.

"No, just the sword. I'm not a high enough ranking to be permissioned to wield firearms."

"Ok. Learned something new."

"Why do you need to know? Light weapons aren't very effective on angels, fallen or not."

*Thwack*

He knocked another spear with his hand. The shards fell over my view as it was carried briefly in the wind.

"As we already stated, both of us attacking in close range obviously doesn't work for multiple reasons. Therefore, it would be beneficial if one of us attacks from a distance while the other continues the counter from close-up."

"Can't you just summon a familiar or something?"

It wasn't unknown to the church that devils had familiars. Obviously there were jobs that they had that were either too dangerous for them to traverse, or too tedious for them to be majorly concerned with. Mundane things or things they could not do themselves would require something equally as demonic, but one subservient to them.

The number of familiars lurking in Europe was higher than you would think; animals with too much intelligence for common beasts. Shape-shifting creatures of the night. I'd seen plenty. Killed quite a few them as well. Some of them even nearly got me.

*Thwack*

He cracked his neck as he knocked down another spear.

"Believe me, if Karuka was old enough and big enough to take on a fallen by himself, I would have done it first thing."

Karuka? 'What under God's earth was a Karuka' I asked myself. I had no idea what kind of devilish being this 'Karuka' was, but that wasn't my biggest concern with his response.

"Who? What kind of name is that?"

"Diverging here. I can do some magic, but I was hoping that I wouldn't need to resort to using it."

"Why?"

*shink*shink*

I knocked away a couple of spears, but a third needed to be avoided when it nearly came for my head.

*thwack*

The devil got it. Not that was I was going thank him for it though.

"Though not very strong, it is fire."

I initially raised an eyebrow to his reply.

"And why is that-"

I had to stop myself before I realised just what he was on about; the numerous variety of highly flammable substances that made up this forest was the sudden big indication, as I slowly processed the result of lighting a few flames in here would cost as a toll.

"Oh, right. The trees and the bushes."

Leaving aside the burning smell of his flesh from those light spears he was punching away with his diabolic skin, a smoke that engulfed the entire woodland would be more than an uncomfortable smell. More so, it would have been worse than a simple choking hazard as well.

"Forget about a fallen angel massacring people in the urban areas. A little cauterising of wounds is fine, but a forest fire is the last thing we need to start."

"Can't you do anything else?" I asked.

He swung his head a little, but I couldn't see much lese to his expression.

"A little bit of air magic. Barely anything to brag about. Although considering we are out of options, I will consider it. Besides, having you as the main vanguard should be more effective than me who could be disintegrated if a light spear hits me in a wrong place."

"Not easy knowing a devil's got my back."

It almost sounded like I was trying to make a joke. I didn't initially see it that way, but after the devil started laughing a little to it between breathes, . . . I admit that it was a little humorous given the situation we had both found ourselves in.

Though we are at the core the worst of enemies by the bitterest default, laughing with an enemy isn't really something to be considered blasphemic.

"Better than a fallen devil parading the streets with both our heads."

There was another shuffling in the woods. A few spears came flying out, but rather than shoot directly at us, they appeared to have been carelessly tossed into the air and lightly embedded into the ground around us. Either the fallen was getting tired, or he was just not bothering anymore.

The worst part of the ordeal was his poem that he had apparently had time to compose the entire time he tried to kill the two of us. His mockingly horrid voice only made it that much more unbearable to stomach;

"There once was an exorcist fair.

Teaming with a devil, what a pair.

With spears, I releases

To tear them to pieces

Not leaving a strand of their hair."

Urgghh. That piece of-. I really wish I could express how much I want to sever this watcher's head from his body, but I would offend the Lord with so much cursing with or without his name being invoked.

The fallen stopped moving around. His attacks from all sides ceased with it. It grew quiet now, until his voice emerged from the drawing shadows again.

"You know, this had been fun. But I'm afraid the game must end. My partner will have dealt with the rest of the devils either now or very soon, and I have a lot of preparation to make. So, it's time for the final countdown!"

The Phenex servant didn't pay any attention. His heavy breathing was irregular in a different sort of sense. Like, he was preparing himself for something.

"{Demotion!}- Aaarrrgh!"

He fell to one knee. I had no idea what that spell he had used had done to him, but his strong stance had taken a hit. His wounds started bleeding a little more than they had done previously. So much that the clothes he was wearing were now turning red as the blood soaked into the fabric.

I had no idea what he was think about this 'demotion' thing he was doing, but I just had to trust him. But, his cough this time really was filled with his blood. Even after cleaning is mouth afterwards, there trail continued to leak forth like a small spring between his teeth. I pitied the sight of him.

Never thought I would be saying those words either.

I was shocked myself; devils weren't human. They were barely qualified as beasts, and yet I was empathising with one. I had to shake that thought from my head the moment I questioned it.

"{Promotion: Bishop!}"

A new light of sorts appeared but only for a while, and then he started treating his wounds again to close them. It was notably quicker this time, but I still had my eyes on the skies for the fallen angel set and ready to kill the two of us.

I readied my sword, touching the light wrapped around the silver blade with his right hand while my left stayed firmly to the hilt. I drew over my body as guard as I prepped myself for the do-or-die bout that was to come.

"I swear before Almight-"

I was interrupted by the devil, but for his own reasons. It was obvious by the way he was holding his face with his left hand while his right continued to cauterise the rest of his injuries.

"Please be aware that I can't concentrate properly if you start praying within proximity of me. I already have a headache from paying this black winged rat any sort of mind, I don't need the added pain on top of that."

I had no time to retort before his eyes shot around. His placed a hand over his left eye and began to survey around like he had attained his second wind.

"My front is twelve o'clock."

"What are you-

"Five!"

*shink*

A light spear shot through the shades, but the prior warning had alerted me and I cut it in half before it could strike.

Clockface directions. I had remembered the devil of Phenex stating his eye sight was better in the dark than it was in the light. I couldn't see as well, but it appeared based on this observation that he was able to see that attack coming before I could, he was faring better in that department. Whatever this 'bishop' thing was, and how chess seemed to be related to devils and their strategy appeared to be working in his, and by default my own, favour.

"Two."

*thwack*

"Guh!- Nine!"

*shink*

"Thr- no, Four!"

*shink*

"Again: Four!"

*shink*

"One! {Air Bullet!}"

*Pfoof!*

That was a new sound. I turned my head when a magic circle erupted from his right index finger. The attack itself was difficult to see, but the result was all the same. The spear broke upon impact more than ten paces away from striking zone.

He shot another one before turning to me.

"If you are going to do something, I suggest you do it at eight immediately."

I shot out of my daze when the words processed into my mind. I ran to my right, at his eight o'clock with my blade. He fired a couple of shots over my head in that direction beforehand, but there were obvious sound that they missed their target.

Brushing the blade in my hand with my free hand, I slowly drew it across my palm from hilt to tip across my hand. As the blood began to spill unto the silver metal encased in light, I chanted.

"Jerimiah 24-9 and 10: 'I will make them a terror and an evil for all the kingdoms of the earth, as a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse in all places where I will scatter them. I will send the sword, the famine and the pestilence upon them until they are destroyed from the land which I gave to them _and their forefathers_ '. Amen."

Reciting the words of God, my light sword increased in strength, but it would only be temporary. This was usually reserved for dealing the finishing blow, but desperate times meant that all the strength I could muster needed to be utilised.

It works at its greatest when spoken in Hebrew, but the differences in tongue and pronunciation for someone like myself could mean the difference between a success and a failure. It was easier to invoke in my mother tongue without the complications of learning every single verse in its original words.

Two verses in one was going to be a heavy toll to pay, but again, it was a desperate situation.

I continued running, with the light from my blade burning into the darkness under the trees until I could see the fallen's black wings in the bushes.

I jabbed forward, but missed between his left arm and torso. Gripping with both hands, I swung to the left to catch him, but he jumped over my blade as I rolled forward and around behind him.

The light of my blade continued to illuminate the shade as I swung and swung at him with desperate measures. I used everything I had at him. Everything that I had left. Forget the pain in my side. Forget the blood spilling from my face. Forget the cuts and bruises littered across my body. I striked and striked and striked and striked with all that I had to give.

I clipped his clothes a little. A few feathers were sliced, and I managed to land a few good hits to either of his arms and once to his body. But, he continued to counter most of my attacks. A cowardly strike to my injured and bleeding hip was successful, but I got back up biting back the pain it delivered.

However . . . the light from my blade eventually died out. I had run out of energy to continue.

"Oopf!"

I fell face first in exhaustion. Terrified for an instant at the fallen's feet. I thank the Lord that I didn't attack so recklessly without back up though, or I might have lost my life crawling in the mud.

"{Air Bullet: Semi-Automatic!}"

*Puh-Ff-Ff-Ffph*Puh-Ff-Ff-Ffph*Puh-Ff-Ff-Ffph*Puh-Ff-Ff-Ffph*

A few rapid fire shot landed against the fallen, but his wing gave him the best shield. A few feathers where damaged, and pieces of black fluff dived into the open air, but no major damaged seemed to be incurred.

Instead of dodging, the fallen picked me up by the leg and tried to throw me at him, as he had before. I pulled up my sword and went to cut his arm, but then he dropped me abruptly as he rocketed through the trees until he was back in the sky above both our heads.

I lost sight of him, but as I looked to the devil, he appeared to still have sight on him. But then he covered his eyes as the watcher spoke again.

"I should have done this a long time ago!"

I couldn't see from my angle, but when I looked over to the Phenex devil, he had his hand over his right eye, and his left eye partially covered as he tried to align it with his free hand still holding the magic circle.

The Sun. The fallen was in path with the sun.

He said a devil's sight worked better in the dark, so looking in the Sun eliminated that advantage he had while he was still under the treeline. It was the afternoon, so the Sun was also beginning to sink below the horizon

*Puh-Ff-Ff-Ffph* . . . *Puh-Ff-Ff-Ffph*Puh-Ff-Ff-Ffph* . . . *Puh-Ff-Ff-Ffph*

None of his shots had the same sort of aim needed to hit by the look of frustration across his face. However, his disadvantage in sight also gave way to his defeat.

*Plunk*Plunk*Plunk*Plunk*

"Gah! Fuck!"

He collapsed in pain as a series of light spears struck him with no word of warning or taunt. He coughed up more blood, but he went to bite down on his right hand as he looked over himself when the light shattered into nothing again.

Two spears to his legs, one to his right ankle, and another through his left hand. That kind of damage all at once was too much on top of the other attacks he had incurred earlier. By the looks of things, he was smoking even more than before.

It had be something to do with that whole Rook and Bishop thing he was on about, but I couldn't quite guess what it was.

I had my own worries. In my distraction, a claw hooked itself into my neck and raised me up from the ground.

The disgustingly pale hand of the fallen pulled out another light spear and then cut my left arm underneath the elbow till I was nearly without an arm. The pain was so sudden that I dropped what remained of my hilt from my grip as I was lifted into the sky above the leaves.

I struggled of course. I tried punching his arm, and then I started to claw at it with only my right hand, but his skin was tougher than I had initially thought. Despite how bleached it was, like was like trying to scrap away at tough PVC plastic rather than skin.

He slapped me across the face with his free hand as he stopped ascending. I couldn't see how high I was from the ground, but the ledge which I fell from was now relatively level now to how high we were from the main battlefield.

"Seriously, this is why I pity you humans." He said, spitting the words from his mouth with what was supposedly a tone of contempt. But I didn't believe it through his saffron fangs. "You who are bred for nothing but warmongering on the behalf of stronger beings too lazy to lift a finger. And yet, it is you who hold all the power without even realising it. If the whole army just mutinied, then the whole system would crumble from within."

"Shut the- *ack*"

He gripped even tighter around my neck. I couldn't talk as much as I liked with the air being literally choked from my lungs. I clawed at his arm with both arms now.

My neck was close to snapping. His grip completely encircled my throat like an iron noose. Hanging here suspended in the air, the blood started building pressure in my toes, while my head was losing it. I continued to dig my nails into his hand, but he would not let go.

I wasn't even sure if the blood running from his hand was his or mine anymore.

Everything was starting to get fuzzy in my sights. Even his rotten yellow teeth were becoming a blur right before my eyes.

"Children should never be heard. Especially when they are about to curse. But, in all serious manners, you should be thanking me for sparing you the humiliation of serving a dead God."

"Wha-!"

Before I could finish my sentence, He swung me up till my body flailed higher than his shoulder, before threw me across the forest like a skipping stone on a lake. I can't remember, nor recall the number of times I smacked against something, nor do the sounds ring in my memories. I may have skipped across the ground as well, but I cannot be completely sure. Nothing springs to mind after that action.

None except for that last hit.

*Thunk!*

My head slammed into the side of the rocks, with a jarring edge pressing into the back just short of my spinal cord.

And then, I lost all consciousness. Broken, and exhausted.

* * *

Late into the afternoon while spending it at my apartment in New Kuoh, I **Kiba Yuuto** , was prepping for dinner.

I had laid out the table for three; though I hadn't invited anyone else to join us, I didn't want to make him feel uninvited, should he had chosen to come of his own volition. And if he chose not to, then I would have offered him leftovers the following day.

It wasn't at all healthy for him to stay in his room in the Old School Building by himself, nor could his particular eating habits. Though I cannot complain too much about the excessive sweet snacking of Koneko's, Gasper's meals were infrequent and completely devoid of any nutrition when left on his own.

With the two older members of the Peerage gone, it fell to me to ensure that my kouhais were well kept, so to speak.

I hadn't chosen a meal yet, but I never got a chance at all when the situation sudden drew me in unexpectedly.

["Kiba!"]

A voice suddenly called into my ear. I was so surprised by the sudden sound that I almost dropped a saucepan.

I reached a hand to my right ear.

"Hello?"

["Kiba! It's me."]

I recognised my kouhai's voice at the other end of the line.

"Koneko? What's the emergency?"

Her voice was out of breath, and full of more emotion that I had been used to hearing than normal. It didn't require one to be a genius to understand the gist of what this call was about.

["There's a fallen angel in the school. I've already sent the message to Buchou and Akeno-senpai. But we're all in danger!"]

So she was already in the Main School building. That meant she could have still been on site. What was the fallen angel thinking attacking at the school? If it had been a school day, there would have been a lot of casualties. Then again, a weekend attack sound much more preferable.

"Are any of the Sitri peerage nearby?"

["Yura-senpai, Hanakai-senapi, and Kusaka-senpai were all in the student council room. I think they got the message when the school started filling up with holes. I don't know when Meguri-senpai got here, but she's here somewhere too."]

"I'll be right there. Stay put."

[*Ka-BOOM!* "Easy for you to say!"]

The explosion's sound got caught in our communications line. My right ear went a little deaf and a slight ringing sound resonated.

"Go to the student council room, or to the clubroom if you're desperate-"

'No wait' I thought. If she went to the clubhouse, then that would put Gasper in danger. So where-?

"I'll be there, just-"

[*Ka-BOOM!* "Kyah!"]

"Koneko!"

The communications line went dead after that scream. I had never heard Koneko scream before, even if that was hers. Regardless, this was serious predicament we had on our hands.

I wasted no more time. Summoning a circle in the middle of my living room, I prepared to teleport straight to the school. Regardless of regulations, if a fallen angel was attacking the school, then teleporting in would be the least of the publics concerns should there be any witnesses.

*KA-BOOM!*

Arriving at the front of the school, I was there to witness the explosion. I cover my face with my arms as the shockwaves blasted a gust of wind through the entrance gate. It was a crazy strong current. The kind that might have knocked me back to the bridge had I not been prepared to receive it.

The wall broke free and two of the Sitri peerage went flying through the hole with great speed. Into the grounds.

I rushed into the school and around to them, when at the same time, Koneko hopped out following. She somersaulted and landed by bouncing off the trunk of a tree on the other end of the grounds.

*KA-BOOM!*

Several windows shattered behind her, but only after she had already made her escape from the building.

The sounds that continued ringing over the broken sound of the fire alarm were like that of a battle field in a global war. The explosions and debris that shattered and crumbled in the air. It was too numerous to have been faked. The kind of firepower needed were equivalent to heavy artillery.

That's when I saw the smoke through the school begin to part, and a shadow loomed through the large gapping whole right in the side of the school. Standing in that hole, was a twisted looking form of Sakuyama Daiki-san from my class, with a pair of black feathered wings outstretched to either side of the debris.

He was a fallen angel.

There had been suspicions about his identity, but we had not been allowed to act on it as there had been any formal word that he had gone rogue, nor that had been breaking any rules or trespassing against us since he had arrived.

He had come legally, and we were unable to do anything until then. But, now in this situation, he had caught us by surprise.

I looked to the two Sitri members, Yura Tsubasa-san and Meguri Tomoe-san, who were already injured all over with scratches and damages to their clothing that had left them nearly completely exposed.

Koneko was in a similar situation, however she had her arms full with another. She wasn't a devil, but her uniform was the same as Koneko's. Why she was here, and who she was, I couldn't focus on at the time.

The fallen angel, Sakuyama-san, held in his two hands another set of devils by the neck. The two Bishops, Hanakai Momo-san and Kusaka Reya-san, were both then thrown from the building. Dropped would probably have been more accurate to describe it.

They landed to their feet, but neither of them were able to stand having suffered injuries to their legs from light spear wounds. The smoking was still present despite having seen them already evidently treating their wounds with magic.

When the fallen angel looked as going to attack them while they were injured in the most uncivilised and cowardly way, I stepped in to ensure that it was not possible.

"{Sword Birth!}"

Placing my right hand to the ground, I summoned my Sacred Gear, the [Demon Sword Creation], but I set it to run up and sprout from the building. Directly under the feet of the fallen angel. The blades protruded from the now unstable brick and plaster, and an array of demon swords jarred and penetrated in every angle possible from such a far vantage point.

Though Sakuyama was able to evade the worst of the attack, he was struck in several places. The smoke rising from his haggard body and the brief scream of pain he let out were evidence enough to support it. Just as a devil was inflicted heavy damage by a holy sword, an angel black or white was dealt equal amounts of pain when struck with a demonic sword.

Even if my Sacred Gear made swords on par with the mass produced blades that didn't hold a gun to the true demonic blades like Gram or Tyrfing, the damage was still going to be significantly more than a normal steel sword or bullet.

As he shook out his wings, dropping tears of steaming blood across the dirt as the Sitir peerage moved in to save their friends from the dangers of falling rubble, I drew out my Sacred Gear again.

"{Sword Birth!}"

The swords appeared all around in three complete circles around my position. I pulled for the two immediately close to my hands, Flame Delete and Ice Clearer. Dual wielding the ice and fire swords in each hand, I used their combined powers to send an attack in his direction to serve as a distraction.

Expectedly, he was able to block the attack and come out of it still in flight. He summoned his barrage of cyan coloured light spears and blitzed the area around me.

I survived the attack at the cost of my outer wall of swords, which I used as a makeshift shield to block the blast as they impacted and shattered the makeshift metal blades before they vanished into nothing as they always did. Flame Delete and Ice Clearer were also sacrificed to block a few stray spears that managed to break through the sword wall.

Instead of being annoyed by this turn out, Sakuyama was amused by my display.

"Now this, is a party!"

He summoned a light spear to his hand and held it like a sword, as I pulled forth my Holy Eraser to my side. While the girls took their injured comrades to the side, I readied myself for the showdown of the year with my soon to be former classmate.

* * *

In the ancient city of Kyoto, our group of four; Rias, Akeno, my queen Tsubaki, and I, **Sona Sitri** , were continuing our independent sightseeing tour through the old capital of Japan.

For a convoy of three coaches for six classes, it took us around six and a half hours before we reached Kyoto on the Friday, including an hour's ferry ride from Shoibu to Jokoji, give or take the waiting time to load. Thanks to some *ahem* prior arrangements, we managed to receive the allocated the hachijou room on the higher floor than the occident ones booked for the rest of the classes.

I will neither deny nor confirm that there was any outside interference to the decision of the staff over the delegation of the rooms in the hotel we were residing in.

"Can you believe it, Souna? This is Kyoto! Really Kyoto!"

Although we had been active on our feet for almost the moment the sun had risen from the horizon, the enthusiasm to take in all of the city had not dwindled to any sort of recordable degree for Rias. Event his late into the day, she was still as excited as a child who had discovered a zoo for the first time, whether it was by sight or by publication.

"Please don't drool across the pavement. I'm sure your mother would be telling you how un-ladylike it is to gup one's mouth like a goldfish in public."

Even after listening to the same down all the available _sandou_ (roads leading to shrines), through close to every _torii_ (Shinto gates). I even had to hold her by the hand at one point like a child just so she wouldn't walk up to the Maika performing.

I continued to amaze me just how she regressed ten years in behaviour just by being in this city. I had to make a note to never go on one of her trips to Akihabara if this was how she behaved in Kyoto. I'd hate to imagine her in Tokyo.

"Arara. It starting to sound like you're taking over those duties, Sona. Ufufu."

I doubted that Akeno really understood just how tedious it becomes. Or perhaps, I wondered, maybe she was encouraging it. I had seen the spoils of their rendezvous to Tokyo, and it was only fueling Rias' already terrible hoarding habit.

Just then, I felt a buzzing on my left wrist, and looked to the bell as it was vibrating with magical interference.

I printed a tiny seal onto the object. A charm I had bought from a store in Kuoh Central with less value than a couple of melon bread packets and a canned coffee from the cafeteria on school grounds. A small bell with a piece of string. Not the most elegant of items, but it only needed to serve its purpose for while we were away from our home territory in Kuoh.

Then it vanished. Tiny particles of blue light, and then nothing.

The signal had been sent.

The school, or at least our peerages were in immediate danger.

"Sona?"

Rias had finally stopped gawking at every sight and sound when she noticed I was no longer supervising her. I gave her no other indication by a single phrase for her to understand just what was happening at this moment;

"The moment has come."

Rias understood immediately. We had been preparing for this for over three months in advance. A simple signal that could only be activated by one of our peerage members from inside the Student Council room.

The physics of the designs didn't matter, only that by disabling it from the room, the small charm I kept around my wrist would disappear as well. The moment it vanished was the signal we needed.

"Akeno, we need a perimeter. Please keep guard and obscure the scene from outsiders."

"Tsubaki. Please do the same at the other end."

"Yes, Rias." "Certainly, Sona."

In a city as large and populous as Kyoto, thanks to its historical significance as well as it's modern, an isolated area was required. We chose a back alley away from the public eyes.

My more concern was with the barrier surrounding the city; not only were we about

That also raised a question whether the signal to us had been delayed at any time. The delay between the charm activating the seal and then disappearing was proof that we may in fact be late to receive it. But, thinking negatively would only distract us from our current duty.

With both sides covered, and an obscurity seal to keep then average minds of humans from looking this direction, we began to set up the teleportation circle. Well, more specifically, I assigned Rias to handle the circle, while I had to lead the teleportation path and feed it through the barrier.

I will not say that it was easy. It was definitely not something to crack in five minutes by mashing buttons on a keyboard. But, what I found was even more intricate and formulaically designed with a complexity that almost welcomed the challenge with open arms.

"How long will it take to crack?"

To answers Rias' question after she had done the final touches to the circle on the ground. It would stay for a while, and rightly so considering my response needed that amount of time.

"It's complex, but there are combinations between those made with Youkai magic, and other from Onmyouji and the Shinto faction also."

I was amazed to see so many contributions and variety in the design, but considering how sacred this city was, it would only make sense that so many factions would vie for its protection at any costs from external entities.

The Youkai magic focused on the use of spell art techniques that required the channelling of Qi, like Youjustu and Senjutsu. If Touki was involved, then it would have been immensely stronger at the cost of someone's very life energy. But, given how long the city has stood, it wouldn't be impossible to think that there is at least a few hundred, maybe thousand, lives worth of Touki wrapped in their portion somewhere.

The Shinto faction's magic was similar to the holy energy of the angel faction, like many godly factions across the globe. Not exactly as deadly to use devils, but it would still be a painful experience to touch directly. Though it would have been possible to take a crack at it, the gods usually create the most elaborate spell sequences that could take days to break, and that was too much time for us.

And then you had the layers made by the Onmyouji, which as I explained by saying;

"So, this is a seriously complicated barrier we're dealing with here. Though, I think I can make a crack at the Onmyouji sections. I don't think they'll be as easy as Exorcist or Magician circles. I'm betting my odds they will at the very least have some form logic to them."

Magicians, exorcist and onmyouji were, at their core, still human. A human mind required the knowledge of various academic fields like math, science, literacy and language, etc. On one hand, meant that an equal or greater amount of knowledge was required to break the ciphers and various other little traps that they often add into the sequence as a challenge. But, as a whole, it was the weaker made links in the harbour chain of this barrier.

It would be an understatement that I prided in my intelligence, even if it meant admitting it was a hubric sense of the nature. Then again, being prideful is good quality for a devil. I doubted quite highly that at the best result, I could be beaten out of breaking a seal forged by human mages.

As I started to work my way through the circles, piece by piece, Rias could only look over my shoulder as I continued to work.

"And that will be enough?"

"I don't need to break a hole. I just need the smallest crack to chip a single piece. It will repair itself, but I can at least guarantee a connection for five minutes."

"And how will you get back in?"

I sighed. "I'll take the long way through the front gate if I need to. Otherwise, one-ways will be good. If I am lucky, we might just be able to reverse the flow from the other end and get ourselves back within here with no problems."

"I knew it-shi!"

That was neither of our voices. I dropped what I doing as the two of us was looked to where Akeno was guarding. There was a youkai standing in front of her, unobscured by the veil held overt the area. I had feared that a think veil would have been too obvious and would have inquired an investigation effort on the Youkai's behalf, however it seemed that overly precautionary minimum had backfired as we were still visible to their eyes.

Standing a little under a foot tall in postural height from all four legs, there was a small fox with pale turquoise fur. At that size it wouldn't have looked like a big deal except for its colours. The one noticeable trademark to its power was the wagging of seven tails it had behind.

Despite being small, she showed genuine hostility towards us. Based on the number of tails alone, it was more than prepared to take us on and defeat us with power alone. Not that I was encouraging a fight in a city as large and populous as Kyoto. I doubted it would have helped our case if we took physical action right then and there.

"Devils opening a portal. I knew it was only a matter of time!"

Though the expression had been loud and exclaimed, the tone was without emotion, like the possessor had no understanding of changing her manner of speaking. Speaking from the mountain of source materiel Rias had insisted we watch before coming here, her tone would have been a kin to the character motif of a 'kuudere'.

Though I think that it was just simply 'kuu' in this situation to be politically correct.

I held off from breaking anymore seals. Not that hiding it would have helped that we had already been witnessed seeing and overheard what we had planned to do. I signalled Tsubaki in closer with a finger in place of a verbal order as the four of us continued to look on at the arrival with contempt.

I mean, _three_ of us.

Rias' eyes however . . . *sigh*. Well, she didn't exactly take the youkai's words to heart. Her only interest was in that there was currently a real youkai now in front of her.

"I-I-I-It's a *gasp* kitsune! It's really here."

I almost slapped myself in this situation. I, however, didn't get the chance as the youkai herself protested the sudden labelling. But, not for the reasons you would have expected.

Shaking her head in a very overdramatically quick human way while still maintaining her stoic disposition, she replied "No. Not a kitsune. I am a hulijing-shi."

"A what?"

Before an endless string of confusion could erupt, I contributed to the explanation.

"She's saying that she is a fox youkai of Chinese origin, as opposed to the usual Japanese species we would have expected to encounter."

While it was easier to call the two the same race but with different names, that wasn't specifically the right word to use; compared to a kitsune or its grander evolution, the kyuubi, there was a big difference between the two. Unlike kitsune, which was bound to the physical realm with a body of its own, the hulijing were closer to spirits than beasts, and inhabited bodies of others rather than attain own themselves. Often or not, the bodies were forcefully inhabited after the soul was disposed of or consumed. Whether that made the one we encountered more dangerous than a native kitsune remained to be seen.

You could consider that it is assumed devils were soulless to begin with, but whether that's a real fact or just church propaganda is not exactly well known outside of the three factions.

Judging by how the jade coloured fox pronounced her sentence suffix '-shi', it belonged the Wu dialect of Chinese concentrated around the city of Shanghai, rather than it's more prevalent variation, Mandarin. You could say it was the equivalent to the Japanese 'desu', however it was definitely not a suffix used in China or Taiwan at all, so her inclusion of it was purely, artificially inserted.

"At least one of you can acknowledge my heritage-shi. However, you are acting in violation of your visitor passes. You are therefore to be detained-shi!"

I would have described a change in tone; smugness, pride, or something generally reflecting how please it was by my explanation. But, I did say 'kuudere' before, even if it completely lacked any sense of the 'dere' in the situation we had been caught effectively red handed in.

"Wait a mi-"

I placed a hand on Rias' shoulder before she could protest.

"Rias. Please read the situation with both your eyes everywhere."

The hulijing wasn't here to detain us alone, as the movements that had caught on from the corners of my sight had counted. There were a great many more that had mobilised for our apprehension;

Inugami, Tengu, Datsue-ba, Oiwa, Gashadokuro, Jorougumo. I could keep on naming quite a few different Youkai that suddenly began to swarm around us. I would have named it as an excessive showance of force, however precaution against four devils attempting to bypass a barrier was enough of a justification to mobilise a necessary proportion of a _Hyakki Yakou_ (Hundred Demon Night Parade).

More and more started apparating from the walls, the concrete beneath our feet, and even some of the man-made objects like rubbish and street lamps. There were a great many species present to apprehend us, and quite a few that I could name that I would never have expected to be subservient to the Kyoto faction.

Our Queens returned to our sides. Though the two were ready to step into our defence, I lower my hand. Starting a war in this place was definitely not something we needed.

"What do we do now?" Rias whispered over my shoulder.

I pressed my glasses back into place before answering her question. Given the situation we were in, I really didn't like our options here.

"Our peerages will have to hold off for a while. Forget about the consequences of leaving them alone as the pretext for destroying the armistice, if we tried to escape in this situation we could be starting a war with the West Youkai faction as well."

It was the truth. The sad fact of the matter was that had neither of us been that significant as devils, we would be killed in the spot, but there wouldn't have been repercussions for our actions any further. But, our elder siblings were the Maou, and that had a lot of gravitas to our deliberate actions against the Youkai faction in Kyoto.

Forget a scandal, the actions that take place here could very well be the precursor to open war between the devil faction and the Kyoto youkai.

"I really hope you have a plan for this, Sona."

I hesitated to answer, which was a first for me. I was usually the one who had thought ahead in many situations, or had the necessary wisdom to decipher the correct path to tread. But, not at that moment unfortunately.

"I'm cracking my head around it. J- . . . Just, give me a few minute to think."

* * *

At the base of the great former volcano now known as Mouth Kuoh, I **Father Willem Mertens** began my ascent towards the former headquarters of the church on this island of Oyashi. I had waited till the sun was almost falling before I trod upon what was once holy land in the Orient.

While I did regret not telling my subordinate of my true intentions, it was not something I wished to worry her so much about. In these most troubled times with the potential of war coming about again, it was better to allow the children of God to remain childish and ignorant for a little longer if at all possible by his good graces.

With the two devil heiresses gone, I felt that it best to clear out a couple of pests that had been nesting on the Lord's sacred grounds. A cruel and devious ploy I was forced to commit. However in the sake retaining the status quo, I was ready to stain thy hands once again in the name of God almighty. I had also wished to spare her hands of the filth, and so my mission to that spot was kept a secret from her.

The atmosphere had been just as I feared; the stench of impurities that fogged the air was a wicked sight indeed.

A shadow moved slowly in the corner of the ruins, but I knew who it was. Call it an old man's intuition. We were certainly not old friends, but I recognised the figure crawling just away from my view.

"I assume you are the ringleader of this incursion. Am I right, Cimalon?"

That's right. I was familiar with this particular fallen angel. He was just a junior cadet when I first encountered him back in the 1950's. He had an operation in Albania I believed. I was young once as well, but I remember him cursing us and swearing revenge by his name after escaping alive with one comrade to his aid.

I think we met another two-, no th-. Five. It was five other encounters after that. I almost killed him twice as well, had it not been for foolhardy young crows trying to make a name by killing one known as the 'dragon slayer' wielder.

That name had very little precedence when I met him. Merely a courtesy title than one that described any achievement of mine. Well, that is to say until sixteen years ago I should say.

This was number six, but it would definitely be his last. I swear unto God almighty, I will ensure it will be so.

I drew my blade from my sheath to my left side and held it out in the looming darkness now taking its hold over the church of our Lord.

The inhuman being who had made residence in this place creaked its head, but I could only see his eyes and his teeth in what little light reflected. The dark drew back as my blade caught the early evening sun through the ruins of the church. He had certainty grown a bit since the last we had met. Six winged now, an impressive feat after very few years. I had known records of angels requiring close to a century to acquire their second pair alone.

Even if they were fallen, their strength would always show with the growth of another pair of wings. Uncommon, but not impossible. Though, I hardly think four more wings would have been enough to have changed the events that were to happen this day before nightfall.

"Dragon slayer?"

He crept back in fear. Ah, yes. I remember now; the scar to his face and to the neck where I drew my blade against both. He lost quite a bit of his speaking potential after that encounter, resorting to fewer words now, but I assumed his mind either remained or refined its wit during the long years of absence.

I would hate that our final confrontation would resort to nothing but hated violence on these hallowed grounds.

I understood also his confusion; though I had once been the proud owner of one of the finest holy swords ever crafted by God and bestowed upon mankind, the blade in my hand was not. I had long since parted with one of my longest ever partners in my younger days, but this sword I hold before me is one of the replicas granted to me as compensation to my once righteous service to our mother church.

"I am afraid that you will not be tasting that blade, this late afternoon. Not now, not ever. Just as I am no longer worthy to wield such a fine and magnificent blade, neither shall you taste its true steel. This replica I wield in my hands is a gift from the Heads of the branch in recognition of my continued efforts in duty."

While only a weaker blade than the one I had grown accustomed to once, its mirror imagery of gold and purple and red still reminded me of the same blade I was forced to surrender after many years. On top of resonating a stronger holy light that outclassed a basic mass-produced light sword, the blade also retains the same dragon slaying enchantments that made its precursor a legend and a scorn to dragonkind as a whole.

I pulled the blade before my eyes, and held my left hand behind my back. It was more than fair for a creature fallen to such depravity. A creation of the Lord God deserved that much in mercy's name.

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. O' Father who in art in heaven. In your name, I cleanse thee. May this lost soul find mercy in thy Kingdom. Amen."

He unfurled his wings to full length in all directions in an attempt. Quite a primitive and beastly intuition, but that is what one expects from a being who has lost its place beyond the pearly gates.

"Die! *gasp* . . . You will die!"

Most of his mouth had healed over itself, but he could still talk through a small corner of it. But, he also required it to breath as well, resulting in long pauses for air between speaking. A tragic fate for one who should have remained by the throne of heaven beyond this mortal plain.

His gasps, though frequent, were more in tune with the sound made by sucking the last contents of a carbonated drink through a straw. Nothing by a moist suckling noise which rather comes off as unpleasant to be perfectly reasonable.

He flew down on me, attempting to attack in a manner like some great bird of prey. He summoned his light spears to wield in either hand and came upon me in full flight before me.

He was quicker than last time, but I wouldn't say he was skilled enough in that regard that I needed both arms for this parrying session.

"A healthy humour to one's death is not what I expected. But, it shall lift your soul to the heavens, then I see no faults in your desire."

"You old fool *gasp*." He pressed his face closer and closer as if he would have tried to bite nose. "Get the memo? *gasp* . . . Only a blind and useless fool. *gasp* . . . Realised by now why this cruel . . . *gasp* . . . this is a cruel world. Why instead of peace . . . *gasp* . . . continue this, this triangle. *gasp* Heaven, Hell, *gasp* Grigori. We *gasp* . . . We all just fight and *gasp* fight. Nothing will change!"

I paid no kind to his words, and just allowed our weapons to speak. The only voice for me was the clashing and parrying.

I had to congratulate him on his sword art, for he has generally shown improvement. Even though I have slowed a little in my older age, I was pleased to see that his skills could match mine with some form of play and strategy without the necessity in power over technique.

Our blades, mine of silver-steel and his of light, danced and clashed a while. The night was not even in yet and there was still so much daylight to be used.

However, the differences in our skills became evident the moment I disarmed him and thrusted my sword through his chest.

He survived. I had missed his heart on accident. He coughed up blood from his little corner of the mouth that he also breathed through. A small trail strated forming in both his eyes like running tears, and another more clotted started trailing down the edge of my blade and dripped after contacting my hands at the hilt.

"*gasp*cough*cough* . . . What's the point . . . *gasp*"

He started speaking in gibberish. The moments of his life now flashing before his eyes as he leaned on the remaining edge of the sword, while his blood trailed out either end. His wings had also gave up the aggressive stance as they fell to the ground like a peacock having lost his pride in his tail feathers.

"*cough* I head from the top. *gasp*cough*cough* . . . The very top. God-*cough* Your God, _our_ God, . . . *gasp* is d-."

I almost shushed him to silence after drawing out my blade again from his body. It was not in my plan to strike his lung, but accidents such as these were prone to happen. I only hoped I hadn't caused too much damage.

"Do not strain your tongue any further. Let thy Father be thy judge, and may you enter through the Gate of St Peter's without earthy tethers to keep you anchored."

To ease his now suffering, I struck him a final time, through the black crevasse where I had hoped he still had a heart that could be saved from the lake of fire. A tear fell from my cheek, not in sadness, but in pity, as the light spear in his hands dropped and vanished into the remainder of the day. His arms dropped and his eyes became darker.

I had hoped to end his suffering quickly, but I left him with too much time to expel the evils hat still plagued his mind. And insult was thrown my way, not that I found it any form offensive. I would never be offended by the words of a dying being.

The last words spoken on deathbed are the most truthful you will ever find in a man. With nothing more to hold him back, he will say what every truths you wish, even the ones that have been plaguing him. Rotting him from the inside a little by little every year until they reach this state of near death.

I like to think that in his last moments of life, that he may have found the inner peace he and all his kind have been searching for since falling from heavens. He smiled a little, even if it was only mostly a stitched up scar running from cheek to cheek now.

". . . *gasp* Y- . . . You . . . kn-n-now . . . *cough*cough* . . . *cough* . . . *gasp*gasp*n-nothing."

He body became lifeless at last, and I pulled my sword out of him slowly as not to desecrate the body. Even as a fallen, his form was a design bestowed by God, and so should still be treated as such.

I arranged his body to appear he was sleeping, shutting his eyes with my fingers with placing his to appear as if he was praying. His wings I folded over him like six individual shrouds that wrapped him in the approaching cold.

I drew the cross upon him and spoke his final rites.

" _Rust in vred_." (Rest in Peace)

I sheathed my blade looked around the room. I walked to the place where the altar once stood and I prayed. I spoke aloud a prayer from all to be well, and that Hanna would be survive her own ordeals.

* * *

With four newly opened wounds to the ones that I had already attained through an endless hours of torturous fighting at a disadvantage, I **Hyoudou Issei** , watched as the temporary ally of mine went flying into the rocks beneath the main road leading our of East Kuoh district high above.

The exorcist hit the rocks, after colliding with several trees beforehand, before a rock silenced her. I would have staggered to her side if I wasn't certain she had died. The impact alone would have broken most of her bones. If her spine had been one of them, on top of her skull, she was already dead.

"One down, and one to go."

The fallen slowly descended in front of me, but never touched the ground. I was still smoking all over from the wounds, and my blood was still spilling to the floor beneath me.

"You should say thank you, devil shit. I'm about to put an end to your miserable life, and start a glorious revolution that will shake the world with your death."

I was silent, on my knees, in the gathering mud beneath the remnants of grass. I was hurt, all over myself.

My black shirt was with two holes in my shoulders and bloodied all over. My trousers were the same, except with more holes and more blood. My left hand had a whole in it where skin and muscle once were. The bones nearly broken, but it was unmovable past my wrist.

I was in so much pain that my other senses couldn't read anything else in the area surrounding.

A light blade came inches to my neck, but I did not move, nor did I react to it. It was like I had no light left in my eyes.

"Be proud, sing aloud, and tell me how grateful you are that it will be over soon."

The fallen one made his proposition to me, and he heard my response shortly after. But before that, I had retreated into my own thoughts.

The heat from the blade my skin crawl near my neck. The hairs singed a little just from being within its presence. I coughed a few more times, all filed with my blood that could no longer be contained. I almost at that point

I had been seriously handicapped before this fight started, all to protect an identity that no many knew of. Even after surviving the likes of Tiamat by sheer luck and determination, I was going to die there in the mud by some fallen angle who didn't even have a name worth memorising.

The exorcist had been knocked out, maybe even killed by that attack. And I-

I . . . wasn't permitted to leave witnesses.

. . .

. . . That meant . . .

". . . He . . . he . . . he . . . he-he. . . . He-hehe. . . . Hehehe-hehe. Hehehehehehehe. Hehahahahahahaha Hahahahahaha. Hahahahahahahaha! Uahahahahahahahaa! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

I started laughing.

I first thought that I was just going crazy, or that my entire sanity had flipped like a coin being tossed. But that wasn't the case for me. I was laughing not to my grave. I was just laughing.

Laughing for my good fortunes.

'That's right. No witnesses.'

Tears, clean and without red, ran down my eyes, and I just continued laughing.

"Uahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha~ahahahahahaha!"

Then, I just stopped. The fallen twitched a little, but he didn't move his blade. Before he could make his action to behead me, I said one word to him that really rattled his feathers.

"Kogaan."

My teeth bared into the biggest smile I could pull, and the light fading from my eyes reignited with a renewed fighting spirit in my guts. I reached out and grabbed the light spear with my right hand. My skin burned, but the excess of pain was already at my limit. Any more would do nothing else but blister my skin in less than a minute before it burns through.

My words and actions caused him to flutter back. He nearly lost his flight, but he continued to hover over like the vulture over scraps he was.

"W- . . . what the fuck are you even spouting? Have you sudden become broken?"

With my right hand I wiped the mess from around my mouth. The dirt, blood and saliva were swept away cleanly, as I pierced him with my eyes.

"My apologies, but the language of the dragons doesn't have a word for 'thank you'. So as substitute, I was merely expressing how blessed I was with this fortunate situation."

"D-d-Dragon?"

The look of fear in his eyes. Everyone who knew the supernatural, also knew to fear dragons. I started pulling on it as I shook and struggled to my feet. I could do nothing to the pain, except overcome it. I would overcome it, and I would dominate it.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

I equipped my Sacred Gear, and smashed the spear with my left fist with little to no effort. The fallen stepped back. He nearly tripped over his own wing as he hit the ground.

The feel of the metal around my arm fit like a glove. Pardon the pun.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

My left hand was now moving again. Painfully, but I was moving it by sheer force of will, just like my legs. The hole that was through it was not gone, only shielded now. At least the bleeding would be contained inside the metal cast.

The bleeding noticeably started slow in all exposed holes. The injuries themselves were still there, but they were not healing on their own. Neither was the recovery time being drastically sped up. I was having to tense every muscles I could muster to move pass the pain.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

Another ounce of strength fuelled me as my legs stopped shaking a little. I was still hunched over from the pain in my shoulders, but I now had the strength to fuel daggers in my eyes. Eyes of the prey turning into the predator.

"N-n-N-n-No! T-t-That's impossible! Y-you have a Sacred Gear! N-n-No one fucking told me about this!"

His black wings were turning brown in the filth. Then again, compared to his kind, the mud was relatively the cleaner of the two.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

"That's because it was a secret."

I straightened myself up, and spoke to him in the same sort of manner he had been speaking to me. I cracked my neck a few times as my back reflexed out of the crouched posture.

"Yes. You see, I was in a predicament where I couldn't touch my full potential."

 **["{Boost!}"]**

I lifted a leg, my left leg, and moved it forward. I stomped the ground after nearly losing balance, but the quivering crown ion front of me was terrified by it. It must have looked like a zombie coming back to life before his eyes by how my movements became more fluid {boost} by {boost}.

"A secret is only a secret if no one else finds out."

 **["{Boost!}"]**

"If I were to just use it without regards to the consequences of being seen, then everyone would know."

I clenched my right fist, and all the fingers cracked at the same time. I pushed my right leg forward, with evident ease compared to my left. I still stomped, but I just the way it made him sweat.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

"Lucky for me, that is no longer the case, since I have no intentions of allowing you to live."

I rolled my shoulders, but held my teeth when the two wounds stung from the actions. All necessary. All needed to be working in my body before I pushed them.

 **["{Boost!}"]**

Returning to my feet with the power of eight {boosts} already equipped, I was moving around like I hadn't even felt the pain running through my body. I hadn't been numbed no doubt, but the extra ounce of strength was fuelling me to push pass the pain and my mind numbed the instinct that told me to back off and recover.

No way was I going to stand down now that I finally had the chance to hit him with everything I had.

He threw a spear at me, not even caring that he was backward crawling through folded turf as he tried to counter.

I knocked it aside with my Sacred Gear like brushing aside a bubble. The spear made a small *tink* sound as it bounced off the metal gauntlet before it burst and broke apart.

He aimed for my legs, which were still bleeding, even if only a little. I didn't need to dodge this time. I stepped on the spear and it broke beneath my feet. My soles burnt a little even through shoes and socks, but the pain was largely ignored.

"Y-y-Y-You're bluffing" he squealed. "You'r-re a-at your last stick, dev-vil! I'll cleave you in half and drape your sk-skin across the rafters!"

 **["{Boost!}"]**

He kicked his wings off the ground and tried to come at me from above, two spears in each hand. I didn't allow him to strike me again. I intercepted into his gut first, the force of which doubled by his momentum was strong enough to have broken something in his chest.

He spew blood and his hands dropped. I was tempted to punch him further away and let him feel the force of smashing through a few trees himself. Maybe even jab a few branches into his sides while I was at it.

But no. I caught him by the neck and suspended him off then ground as I high as I could lift my arm. He struggled to force my left hand to release him, but the claws at the ends of my fingers were digging deep enough into his neck to make them shed even more blood than what was still spilling through his disgusting teeth.

 **["{Boost!} . . . {Liberation!}"]**

With ten {boosts} already, I activated my Sacred Gear's second form. The gauntlet changed while I still held grip of him. The look of his eyes widening as the red metal claw grew larger and much sharper looking that he had initially witnessed.

"I- *cack* I'll k-kill you!"

 **["I'd like to see you try, fallen one!"]**

A green light erupted from the two emerald orbs as the dragon's voice broke the very sound of the wind blowing. The fallen was suddenly realising very quickly just how big his mistake in dealing with the exorcist over me was.

I relinquished the control of the left hand and allowed Ddraig to torment the fallen in his grasp. He was certainly pleased to be given so much liberty after being locked away with little prospect of being allowed free roam only when winter came.

That is, how much free roaming he gets when my Sacred Gear becomes active.

 **["I am more than just a gauntlet, filthy crow! Ready to show him the true power of the Heavenly Dragon, Partner!"]**

"I've been ready since the first spear was thrown down. I think it's been long overdue."

I think if I had seen the my face reflected in the wide eyes of the fallen in front of me, it would have looked a very demonic indeed with the sudden

I tossed him aside to give him the full show. I was feeling pretty confident in myself, and the prospect of finally going all out in a real fight was fuelling my logic more than simply just killing him off. The pain that darted every inch of my body was screaming to crush him slowly and painfully.

And when I say all out, I was going to kill him. There was never any doubt about that. All the pain, the tormenting, and the sick notion of restoring war was going to be thrown back in his face hundred-fold. With everything I had.

I raised the [Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet} across my body as I gathered the strength in me, and then my form turned entirely red in light.

 **["{Welsh Dragon: Balance Breaker!}"]**

He didn't stick around at the presence of

 **["{Boost!}"]**

But I was not going to let the rat scurry back to his nest.

 **"{Transfer!} . . . {Maar Kein Zaan!}"** (Terrorizing War Cry)

Placing my left gauntlet to my chest over both of my lungs, I transferred power into my voice. The resulting sound resonated across the air like a sonic boom. The waves struck the fallen in an instant and his wings went limp the instant the vibrations struck him.

Tumbling down, he crashed through the nearest tree, tearing himself through the branches that broke his fall to the ground.

His face twitched in pain and anger and panic, especially when I drew in closer. Walling in as slow as possible, he would have been more scared had the armour not covered my face. He realised very quickly that he was no longer able to retreat.

"Huh? I-I . . . I can't move!"

 **["Correction; you can't flee!"]**

His eyes shot open to the point that the redness became prevalent. Though he squirmed and make all sorts of sounds that one makes when they try to exert more effort than they are capable of. It was quite laughable how such a weak attack left him in such a state.

The most that attack did to Bova was temporarily stall him.

 **["We dragons are prideful creatures, and nothing makes our blood boil worse than an opponent who refuses to fight after talking like a hot shot."]**

I released the mask over my face to see him retreat all his fascial muscles with my own eyes. The look of hopelessness. It was soothing to every ounce of pain that were hungry for his blood.

"You spoke not so long ago about tearing me apart and using my entrails as decorations, did you not? You thought us too weak that we would hand you victory on a silver platter? Where did your will to fight go?"

"Nooo!"

I ripped out of the tree and held him by what was left of his collar; his black clothing was nearly torn completely to shreds. Rags would have been a kind description of what was left of wasted fabric.

 **["Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus! Never tickle a sleeping dragon! And especially don't try to get under one's skin either!"]**

I flexed the left hand and then I pressed it against his chest while still holding onto him with my right.

"Well, now the dragon's woken up."

 **["** **{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!}** **{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!}"]**

"Wait."

I stopped before advancing further.

I contemplated either using {Dragon Shot} or {Hyper Smasher} to finish him. But, after all those {boosts} I had gathered together, It would have left a very nasty looking hole through the woods. If I made too much of a mess here, someone was going to be digging too deeply into the scene. And that someone might just find something too revealing for my benefit. No. It was the best solution to not use either of those attacks.

Oh, and it would killed him too quickly as well.

Instead, I dropped him.

 **["Oh, that is a good idea. An appropriate punishment."]**

 **[{Blade!}]**

From my Sacred Gear, I finally pulled out the sword I had kept stored within it for so long; It wasn't anything too special. It was just a simple nodachi with no added magic fused into the metal. The steel itself was forged from ores collected in the Phenex territory, and cooled in water collected from the River Styx, which gave it a stronger resistance to blunting, and more importantly to breaking or snapping in two.

Blades from the Underworld favoured using Damascus steel technique, but as I had learned swordplay from Eugene who fought using a katana, a Japanese styled blade was the appropriate gift for passing the intermediate stages of training.

He called it an early birthday present, despite having gifted me with it two months after.

It also suited me better than a katana, given that the nodachi was longer in length.

I swung it a few times lightly, like I was teasing the air as the current resonated off the blade cutting through it. The ringing of its metal was rather soothing after a long day of his terrible rhymes and flat singing. The song of that blade in my hand was comfort I had been longing to listen to.

"You stuck quite a number of hole in me. I think it's only fair that I return that favour while you're still conscious. No, while you're still breathing."

He made no sound. He didn't even move, not that he had the chance to escape the effects of the shout holding over his body. His mouth was open and it shook in fright, but not even his breath escaped past his lips.

It was nice to hear nothing but my sword as I drew it closer to his body.

"Forgive my sloppiness. I haven't had the chance to use my swordsmanship in a good long while in this state. So, prepare yourself."

 **["{Transfer!}"]**

I places all the {boosts}, all twenty-five extra that I added before changing my mind, into my blade as I raised it above my head and cleaved downwards upon him.

* * *

"{Sword Birth: Thousand Blades!}"

As the battle raged on against the fallen angel that had invaded the school, I, **Kiba Yuuto** , continued to hold the frontline in this excursion.

The girls had been taking serious hits, with both the Bishops suffering from light spear wounds to their legs, so they were unable to do more than just act as medic at the risk incurring the wrath of the fallen who as still airborne.

Koneko, Yura-san and Meguri-san were all still in the fight, but had to rotate often after taking a few direct blows. I myself took a few as well, but it was my duty to protect them all at the cost of my life if need be.

We didn't move the fight from where it started, but I had hoped to draw him to the woods within the school grounds as a way to try and hide the onset of the battles from the public. However, Sakuyama was not falling for it. I should have expected it from someone who spent the last six months in the same class as me. He had probably been taking some notes on how we operated in secret without making it obvious.

I could only guess his thinking as I continued to send sword after sword attack at him. My demonic swords were the strongest attack we had, but at his distance from the ground, getting him down and within range had not been the easiest of tasks.

While he had initially appeared eager to settle this like gentlemen with a sword duel, he had quickly retreated and took back his advantage by staying far from any of my demonic swords.

I started an experimental attack with my Sacred Gear, which meant I was propelling my swords after summoning them. They flew through the sky, but more often or not were too slow and easily dodged or knocked aside. The school however took more a beating with the number of steel blade now striking it.

I hoped to the Maou that there was no one still taking shelter. If more people were in there like the girl who was being guarded by Koneko, then this day was only going to turn out even worse.

I summoned out a second Holy Eraser and readied myself. I couldn't stay on the ground any longer if Sakuyama was going to remain airborne.

With Meguri-san taking a proto-type sword from my Sacred Gear, she charged up the side of the school and jumped at him. With her speed, she was able to make contact with him. However, her advantage ended with the clashing of their two blades.

The sword, Dragon Eater, my proto-type dragon slaying sword, shattered very quickly and she was left without a blade at hand. Her usual blade had been misplaced at home moments before and she had been boring exponentially from my {Sword Birth} in place of her own arms.

Without a sword, she was early knocked out of the sky, with a new wound to her left arm and cheek before hitting the ground.

Yura-san tried to attack again, this time by desperately jumping from below and intended to hit him with one of the fallen poles belonging to the tennis field. Sakuyama gave her no chance of reaching him by ascending even higher before slamming her with both his feet after she lost jumping momentum.

We were getting pretty desperate in this fight. Tired and exhausted, our energies were running on less than fumes at this point.

I hated to admit it, but we were all pretty much uselessly struggling with misdirection. Without either of our Kings to command this battle, we were as useful as headless chickens running around until we were evidently going to die.

"Stay back, it's dangerous!"

"What's going on?"

"It's nothing. Just stay back!"

Over my shoulder, Koneko was keeping her classmate, Nimura Ruruko-san from leaving her side.

I didn't think it was her intention to be constantly guarding her, but it seemed like she immediately assumed the role. Where she came from and why she was around was never asked at the time, and I had only assumed that she was caught up in it through no fault of her own.

Nevertheless, she was only human, and she would get killed where it would only hurt us. A light spear in her chest would be a one-way ticket across the other shore whereas it would only be a temporary wound to us. But, she didn't quite have a grasp of the situation from her point of view.

"No! Why is there a tenshi here? Why do tenshi exist? And why the hell is it trying to kill us?"

We assume by 'tenshi' she was largely ignorant of the Abrahamic religions, or of the idea of angels. Regardless, that was the least of our worries.

"Calm dow- Move!"

*Ka-BOOM!*

A light spear struck the ground between them. The resulting explosion knocked out the bicycle shed we had been using as a temporary base and hospital. Thank the Maou none of U had been killed in that explosion, but now the Bishops who had been healing us were exposed.

Sakuyama noticed this too. He continued at his attack, but not on the enemies to his front and sides, but to the ones that had been left quite alone for a while.

Hakanai-san and Kusaka-san gathered what little strength they had after expending so much of their magic to fix as many wounds they could, into shields to protect them from the blitz of light spears raining down on them. This was a battle of attrition more than anything.

After a long battle that had lasted for nearly a few hours since the first spear was thrown, all of us, especially the two Bishops, were at our absolute limits;

Myself; I had birthed so many swords that I could have recreated the Titanic in full outer exterior with the amount of metal I had thrown his way. In terms of injuries, I was the luckiest, with only a few small cuts and a gash on my forehead from a knock by flying debris.

Koneko; her uniform was torn to next to nothing. Not even her undergarments had really survived any form of damage. Most of her clothing consisted of her skin which was wrashed, blistered, burnt and cut in many different places already.

Yura-san; very much the same with the cuts and bruises, except her left arm was dislocated and so was her right ankle. Too many bad landings had also reduced visibility to her right eye after the swelling covered half of her upper brow.

Meguri-san; including the cut to her left side, her back had a very long and very deep gash as well running from the nape of her neck down to the right side of her hip. And that was only the worst of the cuts she had received trying to spar with Sakuyama in close quarters.

Hanakai-san and Kusaka-san were both still recovering from their initial bout before my arrival, but they were mostly fine if it wasn't for the fatigue in their excessive demonic magic consumption they had been constantly using over and over to heal everyone as well as themselves.

In fact, the only one who really hadn't been injured, except for Sakuyama who was slightly burnt from a few lucky shots, was Nimura-san.

The only thing we knew what to do, was wait for either Buchou or Fukukaichou to come. It was the one hope we were clinging to in this fight.

*Ka-BOOM!*

"Kyah!" "Urhh!"

A light spear struck at a tree just in behind Nimura-san and Koneko. The two had ducked in time, but splinters from the barks fell on them in large quantities that they had to cover their heads as well.

Sakuyama's eyes, showed only one or two emotions now; anger, and boredom.

"You know, I am rather disappointed in all this; I expected a fun little party with seven devils all ready and waiting more me to cut down. But, I find only six of you, and quite frankly I'm pissed off at how poorly you all are faring. Not even a shred of hop left. Not a scratch of strength eft. It bores me to no end."

And I'm one devil short. Do you know how ticked I am that I couldn't kick in his teeth in as well as yours. You sitting there in the classroom, pretending you're normal. All of you. Disgusting."

He spat to the ground, and I half expected it to be made of acid by how toxic his speech was getting.

"I watched all of you. You, former humans. Fucking disgusting how you just try to fade yourselves into the crowd. Humans."

He spat again.

"The worst species to ever exist; always so self-righteous. So needy. Always needing someone else's hand and then they bite that same hand like a spoilt child. Why the Lord ever thought of making them is beyond me. Weak, weed-like stick insects. I could crush this town beneath my feet like an insect beneath my boot and then have time to clean the muck from my sole."

*Ka-BOOM*

I covered my face as the light spear crushed my sword wall like it was tin foil.

"I should have just killed you all. It would have saved the embarrassment of having to pretend to be civil around those lower lifeforms. Kill all seven of you and then move on, now wouldn't that have been my ideal situation. But, no. I have you six here, and this is all I get. I am certaintly not entertained."

*Ka-BOOM!*

He threw down another light spear, striking the area in from to Yura-san after she tried to move forwards.

"One of you had the right idea of not coming. If this all I can expect from six devils, then I doubt one more would have made this anymore exciting. Unless, he met my friend. Heh. He could already be dead by now."

'What?' I thought. Another one. Another fallen angel was here. The six of us teaming up were struggling to deal with one angel, and now we had to worry about a second showing up. We were already half dead at this point. Bringing in reinforcements would have been overkill.

But, he also mentioned Issei-san. If there was a second fallen angel in this town, then what he was saying could also possibly be true.

"Say that again!"

I shouted up at him. If not for the information, I believed we were all willing to take a breather. I don't know what I was quite expecting of everyone else, but if his attention was on me, and me alone, then everyone else would be safer for it. I had hoped on that.

He did give me an answer, but his series of responses were more than I had expected. And, it wasn't a good one.

"Hmm? Oh, so you don't know? I'm not working alone. My partner is already working his way through the two priests in this town while I'm dealing with the six of you here. If he hasn't arrived, then I guess he must be enjoying himself too much."

He looked me straight in the eyes, and he was now smiling. He suddenly realised where he could hit at a nerve.

"No. You wanted to hear about your friend, Hyoudou-kun, no? I've been wondering that as well. Unless, he ran away. No. Would he? Or, what if he did meet my friend? Yes, I expect Caraviel to be playing with him for some time."

The six of us had only lasted for two hours and we were nearly dead. I had only heard a few words about his own fighting potential, but if he was alone against a fallen angel of similar strength, then he could have been right. Issei-san could have already been dead this whole time.

The look of Sakuyama's smile. It was invigorating. How he went on and on describing

"I expect to find a corpse with no head when I next meet him. A light spear in the chest and a head that goes 'pit~swoooooooooooooo. Kapow! Blood everywhere, oh wouldn't that be a-"

"{Sword Birth: Thousand Blades!}"

I had enough of his talk. I admit that I lost my cool there. But in the heat of the anger and the exhaustion, I lost myself to the hatred.

I hit him with everything I had. Another round of flying swords heading his way. I wanted to skewer him so badly. I used it multiple times. Over and over again.

"{Sword Birth: Thousand Blades!} {Sword Birth: Thousand Blades!} {Sword Birth: Thousand Blades!}"

I was already exhausted, but now I was throwing away energy I didn't have anymore. More swords propped up and fired at him from any direction that came from. But they were brittle. They were rusty or blunt. The reflection of just how little power I had left to spare was now forging these useless blades.

Sakuyama didn't even bother to dodge; his wings took care of the work like a feather duster clearing away a piles of dust. And that was just what happened to every one of my blades. Turned to dust and vanished. Not even the effects of a demonic blade making contact with his wings produced anything worthwhile to mention.

Koneko launched herself to the roof of the main school building, and then she was running. She sprinted across the rooftop before jumping again straight towards Sakuyama, who had not expected such a last minute assault to follow my barrage of swords.

*Pow!* "Ow!"

A punch

"Look out!"

I was too late. My words didn't reach her in time as Sakuyama came in from her side. Without the ground to support and utilise her strength, her small body was exposed to a direct hit from a light spear to the gut.

Blood flew from the wound, and from her mouth.

The blade didn't directly pierce her skin, thank the Maou, but the attack was a side swing, and the power behind the momentum sent her straight into the ground.

The fall from thirty feet made a crater, and even when the dust started to settle, after shock of the impact was still shaking the ground beneath our feet.

I called forth another round of swords to my side, and was prepared to send them soaring again.

"I don't think so, pretty boy."

I only just caught him for a second in my sights, but his voice appeared to my left. I turned my head, but a barrage of feathers cut across my body with one swing of his black wings. I was knocked aside so easily

With me out f the way, he turned hos attention back to Koneko, with a newly appearing light spear at hand.

"I should have ended you the moment you walked down that hall, little kitty cat."

He took a few paces toward her, while I tried to get back to my feet. I failed though. I was completely out and too injured to move. I couldn't even find the strength to shout a warning as I looked on in horror.

Koneko got back to her feet, but her stance was too unsteady. She had no chance to run if she wanted to.

"Stand all you want, but I am not missing."

Her legs were shaking, and I can say that every moment was being backed-up audibly with the sound of a heart beat. My heart beat

"Strike through, you're out!"

*thump*thump*

And then the spear flew from his hands.

*thump*thump*

Koneko fell to one knee as she tried to get away, and her eyes widened to the sight of a blade heading right between her eyes.

*thump*thump*

She was a sitting duck, unable to escape.

*thump*thump*

"Koneko-san!"

*thump*thump*

*Splank*

*thum-* . . .

*Thud*

. . .

A body was struck, and the spear went right through her.

Koneko, and the rest of us looked on in shock, toward the bloodied body of Nimura Ruruko-san.

She had jumped in the way, shielding Koneko. But now, a hole was running clean through where her stomach once was. She fell on top of Koneko, and we all went to silence, just staring at her.

There was nothing more we could all think of doing. But, receiving an attack like that, it was suicidal.

"Well" Sakuyama said looking on. "Isn't that a sight; trash saving trash. Hehehe. At least one of you had guts, not that hers exists anymore. Hahahahaha. Kuhahahahahahaha!"

He started laughing, like this was a game again. I was not one to resort to speaking foul language, but one words continued to ringing in my head at the sound of his laughter.

'You Bastard! You Bastard!' You Bastard!''

I gritted down my teeth and got back up again. I slammed my sword, Holy Eraser into the ground, with the last bits of strength in my body.

"{Sword . . . Birth!}"

I sent another barrage of swords his way, ground-ward this time. Meguri-san took hold of one and took the offense while Yura-san aided her. I was exhausted and bleeding. Reya-san tended to me immediately while I had the chance to rest, but I couldn't stop looking over to where Koneko was laying.

That girl. That poor human girl, who got herself severely injured trying to save her, was laying on the ground with her head being supported by Koneko's petite lap.

"Hold on. Nimura-san."

". . . I'm . . . so cold. Why am I . . . so cold?"

"Please, just hang in there. We can heal you. Please don't die on us. You weren't supposed to be here. You were so stupid."

It was rare to see Koneko with so much emotion. Despite a heavy wound to her own chest, she prioritized the classmate in her arms.

My head looked to Hanakai-san who was tending to her, but her eyes looked down, and her head shook without saying a single word.

The wounds didn't close and the blood continued to stain the few white areas of her school uniform before spilling over to the ground. It was just one big whole. Sakuyama wasn't far off when he said she no longer had any guts, even if the wound could be fixed over.

It didn't take a medic to tell you that there was no hope left for her. It was too great a wound for a human to bear.

". . . I . . . I'm so . . . scared. I . . . want to go home."

"Nimura-san, please. Hang on. You will be ok. Ok?"

" . . . I want . . . to see my . . M- . . . M- . . . m~."

Her head fell back, and then her hand went limp. It was quite a haunting sight when her breathing stopped as well.

Her eyes, just so glazed and staring, didn't shut as they seemed to look into nothing but darkness.

"Nimura-san? Nimura-san!"

That girl, she passed away in Koneko's arms, despite her protests.

While the rest of us looked on black-and-blue at the fallen angel with hatred. Pure and unadulterated heated hatred for his very existence.

I stood again, ready to kill the fallen angel using the alias Sakuyama Daiki.

* * *

 ** _Many hours after the fight . . ._**

". . ."

. . .

". . ."

. . .

". . . Eh? . . . Huh?"

I don't know how long it was, before I finally woke up. All that I knew at the time that my conscious returned was that I, **the [Christibefürworten]** , was atop of my bed.

I sat up from bed immediately, but then the sensation of the pain at the back of my head kicked in.

"Achh! . . . Tss! . . . Tss! . . . Tss-sss, ow."

I reached around and tried to touch it a few times, to check for any obvious signs of damage, like bleeding or something. But there was no stickiness despite how painful it was, so at most it was a bruising.

My head still ached, like that rock really did dig through the back of my head. The fatigue from the fight and the overexertion had taken its toll on my limbs and my body. The pain to my hop was still there as well before I forget to mention that as well.

It was noticeably dark in the house.

I wondered if Father Mertens had returned home. No, I wondered why I had returned home? I was on my bed, but I should have been outside. In fact, I should be dead.

I could only recall the last moments of the fight I had with the fallen. But, I should have been dead at that point. Unconscious and highly fatigued. I should have died soon after falling unconscious.

That was unless . . .

No. It couldn't have been.

There was this eerie aroma lingering all around the house. Don't tell me, he knew where I lived. How?

"That devil!"

Though my expression was loud, my voice was in fact still a whisper. If Father Mertens was home, then I didn't wish to wake him, nor the neighbours for that matter.

The smell in the air. It wasn't one I was familiar with, but my mind immediately shot to him, the one devil serving Phenex. Him. Why this smell made me think of him, I haven't a clue, but this was definitely his doing to say the least. It reeked all over the rooms with his smell.

I looked to my clothes. No, I was relieved that I had my clothes. Well, they were not the clothes I had been wearing earlier today. The shirt at least had been-

No. This wasn't my shirt. Mine was red . . . and lying on my chair in the corner of my room. The tear to its side was obvious along with other shredded areas to the corners and sleeves, as was my jacket with the huge blood stain running its white colour. The shirt I was black, and had two bloodied holes to the shoulders.

It was that devils. That was obvious. The first thing I did was take it off, quite surprised that I still had a bra on. I checked and sure enough the shirt was the only thing that wasn't mine that I was wearing. Everything else, I had put on myself.

The thought of having been unconsciously violated made me sick. But, I will not call it an overreaction. Not when it concerns a devil.

The wound to my hip had been cauterised largely, but there was also a makeshift bandage made of sheets of kitchen towel and a bathroom towel tied to my waist. There was no more blood, but it was almost certainty going to scar.

It wasn't the scarring that was affecting my mood. Just what had happened truly after I passed out? I hadn't even once turned my thought to what might have happened to the fallen angel, but he was the very least of my concerns at that point.

I finally got out of my room, to find some of those air fresheners or scented candles to cover up the diabolic musk in the air, only to find my equipment on the kitchen table. How it was there and not left on the remnants of the battlefield, I wasn't sure. I couldn't ask Father Mertens until morning if I was lucky, so I was left in the dark how this all returned home with me.

In the moonlight, I inspected them to be certain that there had been no tampering;

The light sword, well the hilt of it to be more accurate, was wrapped in a carrier bag from one of the shops in town, but there was no discernible label to identify where it came from. The blade of the sword itself was broken after the fight, but what remained of it was here.

I am going to have to get a deduction in my allowance to afford a new one. That will take a good few months before that's paid off. If I wasn't in need of the blade, that kind of cash would have taken me years to accumulate before they would even consider giving me a replacement.

But here in the 'doctrine's frontier', a light sword was needed at all times for members of the church off mission.

And, then there was my camera. The lens was probably broken from falling from my pocket-. Wait, how could it have fallen from my pocket? It was in my jacket, but the pocket was zipped, so it coul- it shouldn't have. No, it must have been beaten around during the fight. That made more sense.

I inspected it to see if the memory or battery were intact. The screen was digital, but the glass had an obvious cut across it. Apart from that, all was still functioning as it should have. Thank the lord for this good fortune. These items are expensive to produce, not to mention replace if they get broken.

The problem came when I saw how many photos were stored in its memory.

Ten? Ten photos.

No, there should have been only the nine of them. I counted myself. There were only nine devils that I took pictures of after excluding the high profile leaders of their clans here in this town:

Five under Sitri. Three under Gremory. And one under Phenex. So, why where there now Ten?

I first thought I might have been a 'pocket snap', but I recalled how the device worked and knew that it wouldn't be possible to take a picture without the use of fingers or a conscience selection of choices before taking a photo with it. It was a pretty stubborn device to use, but it was one of our vital assets.

I counted them again in my head. I was sure I only took one picture of each of them and deleted any that were useless before taking a replacement photo. But no, including the new servant of Sitri that sudden arose late in the last month, there should have been no other photos taken since then.

So, why was there one more than there should have been.

I opened the photo's section and the immediately I saw the first image to appear. The most recent of them all. What I saw was a large red dragon.

Not specially that I knew it at the time, but the image was that of a metal suit of armour all painted in bright Surinamese red.

I saw helm of red metal and green slits for the eyes. The left arm covered most of the shot, and that too was also covered in red coloured metal plating. It was all so sharp, and it was slightly blurred.

But-

"Wait! . . . Is that?"

 **. . . to be continued.**

* * *

 _An unlikely team;_

 _The devil and exorcist_

 _Against the angel._

 _While the sparks still fly,_

 _Sitri and Gremory try_

 _To bypass Youkai._

 _By the Maou's name,_

 _And of all things unholy,_

 _The Dragon wakes up._

* * *

 **Omake XII: BDSM (Better to Die Soon, Mate)**

 **Ravel:** Two weeks you said. Two weeks tops. How many days has it been now since  that deadline?

 **Alek:** (voice offscreen) . . . _ve days._

 **Ravel:** I can't hear you.

 **Alek:** (pulls back to see him rotating on a spit operated by a now male Issei) Five Days! Five Days! It got too big and I had to write a way to split it up! I lost track of the time! (crying, only for the tears to evaporate off his cheeks)

 **Ravel:** (nods) Yes, that's right. It was good that we managed to get that sorted out. You only brought it on yourself.

 **Alek:** (muttering) _Says the one who tied me up and expected me to write without my hands free_.

 **Rose:** I've handled the reviews, but I'm not sure if I answered them alright.

 **Issei:** Just do your best. It's all we can ask for.

 **Alek:** (starting to feel queasy from being rotated) Can I have a bottle of something please. I'm going to be sick.

 **Ravel:** We would, but we forgot where he hid those gifts. Sorry.

 **Alek:** You're doing this on- (cheeks bloat, but then he swallows) . . . porpoise.

 **Rose:** You mean " _purpose"._ (clears her throat) Anyways;

『To **User:** **DragonBolt21:** I'll try to tell him to make it more cheery. But, I don't think it will work.

To **User:** **Malhavoc_Shadowlord:** Wow! How did you guess? And . . . Language! Please.

To **User:UCCMaster** : Wow, maybe we could do some research collaboration sometime. Eh, I mean; I'm sure he will grateful for this information.

To **User:** **Dragon_Rider_66:** Wait, you can't? I didn't like the play too. I have no idea where they get there ideas. I was in an opera, well my name was, but never mind that. We have made him clean it up, but he probably still has neglected a lot of it. Issei has got your gifts and he is eternally grateful. As far as I have seen from his plan, yes that seems to be the directions it's heading.

To **User:** **Moikan_Yoloko:** I know, I'm sorry on his behalf. Sorry also that he has made it  this late, again! Don't worry, the order of events isn't going to be affected. The Excalibur arc isn't magically going to come before the Rating Game. I think I'm certain of that.

To **User:** **desdelor97:** I'll tell him, and he will probably say thank you.

To **User:** **ferodile:** We have it registered. Thank you very much. He won't thank you though, I'm sure.

To **User:** **bk42bk42:** Seriously, How did you get back in here? Also, I will make it my life's work to keep you sealed away from this place!

To **Guest (1):** Take it up with Alek, not me. But he has already said he won't change the way he writes. He has tried to cut down on his omake's length though at least.

To **User:** **MIKE202303:** It's supposedly meant to symbolise the inexperience in using a second language at a young age. First Ravel with her still learning Japanese, and then Issei with him learning Deftodiz. Don't worry, if you were on chapter 4, then that was the last of it.

To **User:** **Dr4cul:** We'll tell him you said hi. And, I think we've already rattled him enough.

To **User:** **RangerElk76:** Well make sure you keep to your health. And He would say thanks.

To **Guest (2):** I'm sure he will say thanks very much also.

To **User:The_Rupture:** We promise we will get him to finish it sooner. We have him on a literal leash now so to speak.

and to **Userchunnin33** : We are sorry, but it's too late to change it now.』

 **Ravel:** I still have no clue how **User:bk42bk42** keeps getting in here though. I was sure we double and triple checked the locks.

 **Issei:** Yeah (shivers a little at the memory) Thanks to the pills **User:Dragon_Rider_66** sent me, I'm finally back in my own body. But he still took pictures before that.

 **Alek:** I see you didn't get enough responses to my impending torture. (feeling smug) I guess I'm just that popular.

 **Issei:** Oh, don't say that. We came up with a Plan B. And we have brought someone special to handle it.

 **Alek:** . . . (scared) No! You don't mea-

 **?:** (voice appears out of now where)Arara, so this is the big extra dimension everyone is going on about.

 **Alek:** (sweating, with his eyes completely white) No, no, no, no!

 **Akeno:** (appearing out of the void) Well, I think it's time we take you to **User:ferodile** 's suggestion of watching "Boku no Pico". I think I can get down with a little "boy's love" before the big session following. (grabs the spit and starts dragging it off screen)

 **Alek:** (shaking and struggling to break free of Gleipnir) Urh! Urrrgh! No! No! NOOOOoooooooooooooo! (both disappear through the gate)

 **Ravel:** (slightly disturbed) . . . Were we too harsh?

 **Issei:** (rubbing his forehead) Let's . . . just finish this omake.

 **Ravel:** R-right. (clears her throat) Thank you all again. This is a two-parter, but I can happily say that the wait shouldn't be too long- (signs of Alek's screams echo through the space) . . . em, maybe? It should be a week or two, but we'll have to see. Oh, and if you send more torture methods if you want to, I think . . . (stops over the scream) . . . I think Akeno will appreciate it the most.

 **Issei:** (points his fingers out) Know that we are only two chapters away from canon now. I can be certain of that. So look forward to the beginning of the story we all know again. And until next time, we'll see you then.

 **Everyone:** Bye-Bye!

 **Rose:** ! . . . (Alek's screams still echo in the distance) . . . A-a-Are we going to stop it?

 **Issei:** (shaking his heads as Akeno's sadistic laughter follows) . . . It's too late for him now.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'DragonBolt21',** **'Malhavoc Shadowlord',** **'UCCMaster',** **'Dragon Rider 66',** **'Moikan Yoloko',** **'desdelor97',** **'ferodile',** **'bk42bk42',** **'Guest (1)',** **'MIKE202303',** **'Dr4cul', 'RangerElk76', 'Guest (2), 'The Rupture', and 'chunnin33' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **Starting from the last chapter, I stopped doing the "key" since after 10 chapters, people should be able to understand why I use certain motifs and what not. I will only bring it back if I decide to change or add a new one in the future.**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**

 **. . . No, wait! Ake- NOOOOOOOOOOO!**

 **( _Ufufu. See you again next omake, my adorable kouhais xXx ;Þ_ )**


	13. Attack on Kuoh Part 2

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release.**

 **Oh, and I did update on the 7th May with Part 1, but for some reason the site didn't recognise that in spite accepting the new chapter. I do apologise if you felt like you've waited for longer than you should have. I have no excuse for why this took so long except that I had trouble writing it out** **.** **I'm sorry for that.**

 **Let's go.**

 **AN: It's a long chapter, so there are probably mistakes I've missed.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

 _"Double skewering, coming your way!"_

 _"I should have done this a long time ago!"_

 _"I'll be right there. Stay put."_

 _"Easy for you to say!"_

 _"Devils opening a portal. I knew it was only a matter of time!"_

 _"I really hope you have a plan for this, Sona."_

 _"I'm cracking my head around it. J- . . . Just, give me a few minute to think."_

 _"I assume you are the ringleader of this incursion. Am I right, Cimalon?"_

 _"Dragon slayer?"_

 _". . . *gasp* Y- . . . You . . . kn-n-now . . . *cough*cough* . . . *cough* . . . *gasp*gasp*n-nothing."_

 _"Rust in vred."_

 _"I- *cack* I'll k-kill you!"_

 _["I'd like to see you try, fallen one!"]_

 _"You stuck quite a number of hole in me. I think it's only fair that I return that favour while you're still conscious. No, while you're still breathing."_

 _"I watched all of you. You, former humans. Fucking disgusting how you just try to fade yourselves into the crowd. Humans."_

 _". . . I . . . I'm so . . . scared. I . . . want to go home."_

 _"Nimura-san, please. Hang on. You will be ok. Ok?"_

 _"Wait! . . . Is that?"_

* * *

In the dark shadows hanging over this once holy church, kneeling at the altar not too far from where I, **Father Willem Mertens** , had killed the fallen angel, I prayed unto the Lord.

"Heavenly Father, I continue to give my thanks for the days you have given unto me, and unto your flock as thy Shepard. Continue to grant your blessings unto Hanna, as she continues to act in thy name and for thy services to your holy church on Earth as she would do in Heaven. I beg also for thy forgiveness, that my faith hath been slightly shaken from your path. I am now with sin, for I have questioned your continued existence. If I shalt be cast into the lake of fire for my actions, then I shall accept thy judgement. If this shalt be yours, then continue to watch over your children in my stead. Amen."

The fallen's words had not hit home. For, I had already suspected as much myself after all these years. Ever since a time long passed, I had my suspicions that perhaps we were convinced to blind ourselves from the truth that it never could reach us.

I knew for a long while, like most of the higher ups and veterans, that it was Lord Michael holding the throne of Heaven, and not God. God had been killed. His demise . . . I wish not to speak anymore on the subject. It should come as no surprise why Christendom has fallen into decline.

Nevertheless, I prayed that He would know of what I was doing. I knew he would not answer me if I had asked for him to do what needed to be done to further ensure this armistice continued. For the good of all mankind, and for all three of our factions in this cold war period of our times.

I, who had been excommunicated from the church because I came to know the existence of other such gods that populate the world.

I, who refused the avid promotion to the celestial rings and chose a self-imposed exile so that I could continue my work as a man bound by virtue than by contract.

I, who surrendered my holy sword, my longest partner, granted unto me by the Seraph themselves and was given a replica as compensation.

Though I was sent here, far, far away to avoid theological corruption spreading, I was kept within the higher ups favours thanks to the Archangel's intervention to allow me to continue be of service.

Here, in the furthest Orient, I re-established a long abandoned base after a ten year long contactless exile to Hokkaido. When I was also gifted with the church's trust to supervise the growth of an up and coming exorcist in our times. Even if she was still too green toward the world, she would mature in time, I swore it as my duty. The descendant of the bloodline of one who once held the title of [Strongest Exorcist], as well as her courtesy hereditary title of [Christiberfürworten]. She was destined for greatness, and I would do anything to ensure it became so.

Knowing that God, and likely by extension Lord Michael, would be unable to act directly in our aid, I took it upon myself to make a request to outside forces. Actions befitting one who was excommunicated, even if I was still kept on a relatively loose leash. My gnostic behaviour to question the views had incurred the church's anger, but Heaven had spared my dismissal even at the cost of everything.

My request, went out to the local gods of this island. Those associated with the Shinto faith. Even if it meant casting my soul to the Inferno, my priority went to my student above all else. My time was past its prime, and hers had yet to begin. I was willing to smile in the face of Lucifer himself and proud to have fulfilled my role accordingly.

Kneeling once before, I faced the slopes, to the temple I had not seen but knew still stood far above the mountain and across the small lake to the island in the centre. Though I had turned my back towards the town and the inevitable destruction being wrought behind, it would only be temporary.

"Dear Goddess, who is known only to this island. The one they call Irori of the Heart. Lady and keeper to the hearth that burns in everyone's homes. I am not of your faith nor your worship, and therefore I am not under your obligations to be granted a request. But, in this most desperate of times, I ask only that you protect your own from the dangers our faction's battles hath brought to your land. I beseech thee, that if my words be it not enough to satisfy thee, then take my life in comeuppance. On this which was once sacred land belonging to thee, I pray that the innocent will not suffer for our sins. Amen."

I paused for a moment, but I acknowledged one last request I most importantly needed to add.

"And, . . . keep Hanna safe in this darkest times to come."

Then, a gust of wind swept through the abandoned aisles and through the chipped and broken benches that lay about the place. The single candle was snuffed of life and then it was all silent again.

I do not know if my wish had been granted. But, I believed that in the trail of smoke left behind by that dying candle light, that the message was received.

* * *

*Snap!*

That sound of a small tree branch breaking beneath my foot echoes throughout the forest. I, **Hyoudou Issei** , had concluded my business with the fallen angel after driving the blade through his heart.

I had contemplated the idea. A blade in my hand and a significant amount of {boosts} to keep me standing while the pain still coursed through me. That very same ache and sting that incited my bloodlust was calling for me to enforce an 'eye for an eye'. Admittedly, I was quite taken to taste the fruit dangled in front of my face.

Ddraig, who had been itching for blood and battles as well, wanted to savour his freedom to the fullest.

However, after the first deep incisions into his limbs before I raced my blade across his torso like teasing the tip to break his ribs, I felt nothing. There was no euphoria in these actions. It was just an everlasting horizontal sea of nothing.

I felt no more satisfaction in killing him in his state of pathetic cowering. A demonic blade to the heart was enough to end him. The pain in itself was equivalent to that of a light spear to a devil. His heart continued pumping even after his brain went dead as I pulled it from his chest at the tip of my sword.

Three times it pumped before it started slowing. I just watched it. I watched the last contractions of his cardiac muscles that had been circulating the tainted blood through his body, leaking as it thumped. It lived for another two minutes after he died, before the organ stopped playing.

Then, it was just another dead meat. Sitting silent, on the tip of my sword.

I sent the nodachi back into the {Boosted Gear}, and I initially thought to leave the corpse to the creepy crawlies of the undergrowth to deal with in their own time. But, policy of evidence meant that it was better for all that it was disposed of without a trace.

Grabbing the corpse by the wings, I gave it a toss into the air as high as I could throw it.

 **["{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} . . . {Explosion!}"]**

One {Dragon Shot} later, and there was little left of the fallen angel's body by a few feathers that had been tattered and broken across the ground. Fabrics that had been ripped from his clothes, hair singes and trailed from various places, and a few of his yellow fangs were also left in pools of blood. But apart from that, there was no longer a body for anyone to discover anymore.

I was still encased in full armour, and the number of {boosts} I had added didn't deplete with that attack. So long as I wasn't wasting energy needlessly, I could have held this form for almost half a day if I wanted.

Not today though, no. The {boosts} I had stockpiled where keeping my body upright and moving as if normal against the overwhelming wash of light spear wounds dotted across every inch of my body below my neck.

The sound of my armour clanking around as I walked kept my attention largely away from the pains that still persisted to place pressure to my senses.

I turned towards the scene to look for anything else that needed to be destroyed or disposed of, but it was only after I looked over the landscape of broken trees and scorched shrubs that I remembered a certain someone when I looked to the direction of the Cliffside.

The exorcist. My temporary ally in a dire moment.

The sign of her head bleeding from the side of the rock, but that had largely scabbed over on its own by the time I had reached her side. I hadn't thought it odd at the time how quickly a wound like that was healing, but there was little a devil could know about what the church did to their little warriors. Experimentation was a quiet rumour at most, but it was general considered to be a truthful fact without much evidence to build on.

A broken sword lay metres from her, but a few of the shards were scattered across the woods. The once brilliant silver had died and become less than dull in both grey and sharpness. Whatever magic that had been imbued into the blade was gone and not even a dying light could be seen with sharper eyes like mine.

Still, I dared not touch what was still essentially silver, even when the apparent blessing was broken. I already tasted a sharp leech-like bite from it once. I ended up bagging the contents into a passing carrier bag rustling through the bushes after being carried here by the westerly winds. Even with my clawed gauntlet, I was cautious in how I attended to the broken weapon's contents.

Though she hadn't moved at all since her collision with the side of the cliff, her skin hadn't paled, and that gave me every indication she wasn't dead.

Placing my left gauntlet to her face, beneath her nose, and saw as the red metal fogged a little with condensation.

 **["She breathes. She was most certainly a lucky one, for a human especially"]**

Indeed she was; to still be alive that was. The wound to her head was largely sticky, but had not cut too deeply. The unconsciousness appeared to be more attributed to stamina exhaustion and shock trauma rather than a blow to the back of her head.

The more pressing issue was that her jacket had loosened around her waist, and the wound in her side was still leaking and dripping. Within a few minutes, that wound would become a sticky mess that would be all the more likely to fester and become a haven for infections to poison her bloodstream.

I had no magic for healing. All I had was my {Boosted Gear} and a few magic arts delving into fire and wind, the arts favoured by the Phenex clan. For a family who naturally inherited the inborn power of {Regeneration}, why under earth would the study of healing magic be part of the curriculum?

I was not saying that it wasn't taught. It was just uncommon among the servants to know of healing magic when the main source of our recovery came from the exclusive use of {Phoenix Tears}. I knew for certain that I didn't know healing. The most I knew was to cauterize the wound with fire. That was my only experience, and it was all I had to show for many efforts successful and unsuccessful of my person and others that I had already practised on myself.

And that is just what I did. I cauterized the wound. Only enough that the bleeding stopped, but the skin itself was still fragile like a water balloon ready to burst against the slightest impact. She twitched slightly from the pain of her side being burnt, even with her conscious still many miles apart, but she largely remained with her eyes shut and unresponsive to take action against the foreign pain.

I did not consider my actions as any form of thanks. In fact I could have dealt with the fallen angel myself with a lot more ease had she not been there to begin with had cost me too many injuries that I could have done without. The enemy itself I can express would have been easier had I not been forced into a handicap by previous arrangements, as I already demonstrated to the now nothingness that once had what one might had considered sentience.

I would have called it dust now, but I was very thorough in my disposal of his remains. Cremation without the slightest remanence of ashes to pour into an urn save for the scraps that had been torn and broken before his demise.

"What do we do with her then?"

The dragon took little time to reply in his blunt nature.

 **["Does that matter?"]**

Ddraig's words were indeed true; why did it matter? I was not obligated to help her, nor was it in my best interest to do so considering that had this been any other day, there was a good chance she would have been the one to kill me if I had been the one knocked out.

It wasn't speculation. It would have been a fact for all that was known.

I refer back to the conversations where she was showing intent to castrate me, so I need not explain my reasons if I had decided that doing any more than I already had was wasting time. My time. I took too many attacks that could have proven fatal that I wouldn't have needed to endure if it wasn't for her being here.

But . . .

Words filled my thoughts; _Mortal wound_. _Half-dead. Abandoned._

Every one of them unpleasant, even more so had they been spoken aloud. The thought of leaving her here, to die, to her death. It was an overreaction. I knew I was over reacting to this.

I turned myself and took two steps away. Then I turned back, gritting my teeth together in frustration to my own decision as I picked her up off the ground. It would have been easier to have done it fireman style, but the sharp edges of my shoulder blades would have been a terrible place to rest an unconscious person with grievous injuries.

'Damn it.'

I mentally cursed myself, despite knowing deep down that I was ultimately doing the right thing in this situation. How could I have possible faced any one after abandoning an injured girl in the middle of a woods with such serious injuries to her person.

 **["*sigh* A quick detour will not alter our resolve. Do as you wish."]**

His tone wasn't please, but he had conceded to the fact just as I had.

I looked to the wound in her side, noticing how it was still bleeding despite the cauterizing, so wrapped her jacket around again as best I could with one claw. The trickiest part had been resisting the subtlety in accidentally cutting it on my clawed fingers of my gauntlet.

I prayed the entire time that she didn't awaken to find one of her sleeves in my mouth after I dropped the face guard temporarily as I tightened the knot over the wound. I closed it over again once the makeshift bandage was

After identifying her residence through . . . _secondary means_ , I prepared a teleport circle to drop her off at her home.

. . . Um, was it illegal to have looked for her address in her wallet? I mean, I did have to go through her pockets, but it was an emergency situation.

We arrived via a teleportation circle, though having to transition through what was an apparently light barrier didn't help the nausea building inside of me, which gave me a brief moment of vertigo after I re-apparated in her room.

For the sake of disclosure, I will opt out of giving out any vivid detail of what I saw in her home, and especially in her room. It was an obviously western styled house overall, like most of the newer houses outside of the older three districts.

 **["That wound is going to fester if you don't cover it."]**

As I placed her down upon her bed, Ddraig was obviously paying more attention to her wound than I was as the jumper tied to her waist was soaking in the red quicker than I had anticipated. Though the cauterizing should have done the trick even temporary, it appeared that the bleeding was still present.

"Do you think we'll find any disinfectant i-"

 **["If you really want to hang around for that long at an exorcist's home, then you can waste our time looking for something that might not even be there. Unless, if that is the case, you wanted to consider domi-"]**

I knew where he was going, and I put an immediate stop it. I need not explain what exactly this perverted dragon was about to suggest I do in the presence of an unconscious girl.

"Ddraig, do you want to finish that sentence, or do you think it would be better not getting your jewel scratched the side of the road?"

I cut off the dragon before he could go any further, invoking a similar incident that happened previously when he started trying to preach his own ideals I found to be uncouth given the circumstances.

 **[" . . . "]**

He went to silence as he should have. To suggest such a thing at a time like this was not unlike him, but neither was the memory of the first time he made such a statement aloud. He remembered it just as well as I had that the metal rings for a quite a while after repeated assaults.

I looked only briefly through the house, venturing only as far as the kitchen and the bathroom, but even the sight of crosses over the doorways made that such an unpleasant experience. Nothing too potent, but the spine splitting shivers struck me all over every time I walked through each of the portals to another room.

I eventually came across a few tissues procured from the kitchen, and a thin but long towel from the bathroom to make a more lasting bandage for the wound than her jacket was. Considering how bloodied it was, the clean white colour it once was may have well been non-existent in the shades of red and brown and streaks of green. Leaving such a thing near an open cut in the skin was not doing it any favours.

As I took it off her and unfurled it to place it across her chair, I had to forcefully tug on part of the jacket that had gotten itself caught in one of the zipped pockets to its sides. It wasn't by my original doing, at least I don't recall touching a single zip when I first moved it. I managed to pull it off without breaking either side, which opened this enclosed compartment-

*flash*

The was a small bang as something fell to the floor, but the blinding light that came almost the same time had drowned out any sense of its sound after falling from her pockets. But, I had the most curious case of déjà vu I couldn't quite put an armoured finger to.

As I lowered my left arm from over my face to look as the source of the instantaneous illumination, and saw nothing but a small device the size of letterbox sized parcel with the volume of a rubik's cube. The outer shell was very much outdated in shape, size and general appearance of the era, but it was undoubtedly easy to recognise what it was.

"A camera?"

I was about to crouch over, which was not the easiest task to accomplishing in full body armour, and reach out to pick up the object, until Ddraig's next words caused me to flinch back my hand before I potential injured myself any further.

 **["There's traces of holy magic inside that lens."]**

I was almost hesitant to pick it up, even while wearing armour. Holy energy like those light spears was worse than silver, as I had already experienced. I mustered my courage and took hold of it with a single combination of index finger and thumb by the strap to its bottom right corner as I raised it to my face.

"What do you suppose it does?"

 **["You're seriously asking an ancient dragon what a camera does, Partner?"]**

I will skip what avid inspection I did to a device before I became terribly embarrassed for looking over something so plainly ordinary that my suspicion of it appeared to be insanity. But, admittedly I looked over the entire box for safe measure, but found nothing to be out of the ordinary. Excuse me, nothing unordinary _from a human perspective_.

That flash was most likely the camera taking a picture of whichever way it was facing at the time. There was a danger to having allowed myself to be caught off-guard like this, but I thought nothing to a small image of myself being captured when I was about to carve the memory of my arrival into the last remaining fallen I could find in this town.

"It doesn't matter" I said, placing the jacket over the chair on the opposite side of her room. "I'm in full armour. There is no way she wouldn't hear about the [Red Dragon Emperor's] sighting in Kuoh at some point after today. If it's got a picture of me, it won't make matters any worse regardless."

"*Hat-choo!*"

I was about to leave, when I was drawn back by the sound of a sneeze behind me.

I had worried that the exorcist was now woken from a mediocre slumber due to exhaustion. I didn't want to think of how she was going to react seeing a giant suit of red armour standing with its back to her. In her own room my I add.

I shuffled my helmet around without hesitating, but I found to my relief that she was still asleep. I could have just shrugged it off of simply speaking about her behind her back one too many times today, but that was when I looked back and realised her arms and legs where curled up and cradling close to a fetal position atop her covers.

Though it was only October, it was drawing closer to the winter months and the dark was especially chilly. I thought about returning her jacket, but with it full of blood and other moistures it would have only been a handicap on her against the cold.

In a moment of residing madness, I deactivated my own armour with a sigh for a short while, and removed the black t-shirt I wore underneath my grey buttoned shirt. After placing my own t-shirt, relatively dry and a lot warmer than the rest of the room, on the side draws by her bed, I reached out with my own bare hands toward the exorcist sleeping on her bed.

It was only now that my body was out of the thick layers of metal that I felt how cold she was; where it had most likely had been hot after expending so much energy during the fight, the residual sweating that had occurred to cool her body was no its own worst enemy as she was close to freezing. Her red shirt was also doing a terrible job mopping up all this added moisture.

It was no shock that she was catching a cold like this.

While I wasn't-, I mean; while this wasn't something I had any real experience with doing, evident by how nervous and shaky my hands were which could very well have been justified as a muscle spasm brought on by the excessive amount of wounds I had contracted recently, it felt a little too easy how casually I was at the most divesting one that could very well slice my neck the moment she could have awoken.

 **["I still wouldn't be one to pressure karma, Partner. I did, and she is still pissed."]**

I need not remind anyone of the feud between himself, which by default roped in myself also, and the [Chaos Karma Dragon]. But, I understood the predicament he was predicting. I will not be one that denies fear where it is justifiably a possible scenario.

I will just lay bare the details to a minimal; I removed her white t-shirt, . . . only while looking at the shirt or anywhere else above the neck, and swapped it out with my own with the most difficultly. I held my breath getting it through her arms

While I wasn't able to thank God without stockpiling ample amounts of pain for keeping her too exhausted to awaken while I struggled like this, I just thank the Maou that nobody had to see me do this in the closing light of the day.

I thought about pulling the covers over her, but knowing that time was of the essence, I counter proposed my options and just pulled the other side where she wasn't laying on across her like folding dough over a roll of chocolate, or a better description would be closing over a bun atop and below a hamburger patty.

'Now, all debts are fully cleared.'

I wasn't sure what debts I was referring to, after having gone lengthy into why her presence there had only been a major hindrance to my own safety. But, I felt I needed to justify myself. After all, a devil shouldn't and most definitely wouldn't be helping a human I wasn't contractually obliged to, let alone one of the church's underlings.

Because, as I recall, I walked away from my human life three years ago, and I promised to myself not look back.

I sighed with relief as I just moved the camera, after reaching to pick it up, back into the kitchen alongside the carrier bag with whatever was left of the silver shards and hilt excavated from the field of battle. I found great difficulty in placing the camera down whilst only handing by the cord tied to a corner. Despite its almost cube like shape, it was easier said an done lowering it to the table by your index and thumb whilst the thing spun and swung out of control, then almost temptingly tried to fall over one convenient side after another when you almost think you're through with it.

. . . Yes, even Ddraig called this 'the toughest battle of the entire night'. I wish I was joking about how he poked fun at how callous of a task it was. I couldn't even drown out his chuckles in my sleep.

After I had completed that tedious task, which I ended up just trying to ignore all together as I slumped the bag on to the table next to it less cautiously.

"As much as I would like to continue to widdle you down into confessing why she wants to skin us both, we need to get a move on."

 **["Hmm."]**

"What is it?" I asked after Ddraig started making an unspeculative observation that caught me unaware.

 **["The injuries. They are . . . peculiar."]**

I looked towards the cuts on her body at his insistence, but I was overlooking the obvious before I was even aware I had been missing it.

"Meaning? They're wounds, like you would get from any cut."

 **["That's the point; they were blades of light, and yet there is no burn affliction on any of these wounds. Just a cut from a blade. That's what I find peculiar."]**

Having been the witness of my own wounds, there was a larger comparison to be sure, aside from the smoke that rose from my skin and blood burning when in direct contact; while light itself wasn't a plasmatic instrument within the same capacity as a stroke of fire or a bolt of electricity, when made into a weapon, it induces a concentrated layer of heat around itself, which results in many injuries becoming burns as well as cuts or gouges.

As I now suddenly found myself fixated to this apparent resistance to light burns, I realised that not a single one of these wounds have been even the slightest bit scorched. There were friction burns, yes. But nothing that appeared to have been caused by contact from an angel's luminous spear.

"You think it's something the church has come up with?"

It wasn't uncommon to hear of the church and their experimentation on their exorcists. Even recently, there had been reports on the human world where the church was formulating their own brands of performance enhancing elixirs and imbedding weapons with magic chants that, as I had caught notice of in the previous fight, would emulate a blade's fullest potential.

 **["I don't know. But, let's keep this to the back of our mind for now, Partner. We have another bug to squash."]**

At first I was curious to what Ddraig meant, but then I was reminded of the crow's conversation from earlier. He mentioned another angel. Another fallen who was also supposedly on the attack today.

The problem was, I had completely forgotten his name at the time. Not too significant seeing as he was basically small fry c-.

Spoiler alert. Sorry.

If this fallen were to attack anywhere, it would be the school. I and no doubt that this was also where the other devils had gathered there, even if the first attack hadn't been in West Kuoh district. There was only one reason to even consider taking the fight to the school on a weekend;

Student council meeting.

I was aware that the Fukukaichou had managed to negotiate a new Evil Piece for her peerage in the form of a second Bishop. I wasn't so sure who Kusaka was, but I had a suspicious feeling that I may have seen her once or twice. Both of those occasions when I was with Yuuto. Need I say anymore?

As I made my preparations to leave before either the chief exorcist arrived home, or if the Maou forbid that the exorcist whose room I had invaded was to awaken to see a Longinus wielder standing in her kitchen, I was stopped . . . by a feeling.

A feeling passed over, similar to vertigo. But, it gone before it was even effective. Still, it shook me up very quickly, even in the layers of near indestructible metal coated in red.

"Hey! Did you feel that?"

It's difficult to really describe what it was like; neither visible, nor audible. Not a sound nor an image, but it was just this feeling that started crawling all over my body like a reverse cold chill that ended at the top of my spire rather than the bottom.

I can't explain better than I just felt it. Like some prefixed instinct inside me was suddenly detecting strong power. As a dragon, there was little that could be considered stronger unless the originator was of God or Satan-class power. I tried to the memory of Lord Sirzechs stare and compared it to the gut feeling that passed right over us.

It wasn't the same. Nowhere near the same terrifying shiver that froze my soul on sight. But, it felt close enough that I warranted it with worry.

 **["The signal?"]**

Ddraig had no idea what might have been the source of that 'feeling' that shook the two of us, but he was more proficient in detecting the source of said 'feeling'. Well, considering that he had little to do now that he was a disembodied spirit attached to a red metal gauntlet as he had been for over two thousand years, you could imagine he had a lot of time to kill.

It was most likely not the signal, the one that the Sitri and Gremory peerages had worked on together to form in order to alert their respective Kings to come back. No. That had long since been sent. I never made mention on the notion that my own life was endangered at the time, but I do not need to recollect with anyone on how well that went.

But, as far as Ddraig could tell, the signal was in the same location, or within a certain radius.

"It's like it's calling us out. Wouldn't you agree?"

 **["Whoever it is, I do not think they would like to paint a bulls-eye on their locations if they knew the [Red Dragon Emperor] was in the area. This feels more like someone is deliberately trying to draw us in."]**

A third party? It wouldn't be difficult that maybe someone else from the angel's faction was trying to draw another being to finish off the fallen's party after they were long wounded.

No. No, perish that thought. It may be ridiculous to have to remind myself, or even here a compliment from the devils towards the angels. But, angels were not willing to play dirty with a tactic like this. Not unwilling, I think ignorant would be the more appropriate wording here. They wouldn't know anything of trickery, nor would they likely use it if they were aware.

That commandment against lying is its own double-edge sword, when even deceiving your opponent warrants sin. Or, at least that's how they see it.

As I stepped outside, via the front door at first until I remembered I teleported in. And, that I was also still in full armour, which would definitely not be something I would want to flaunt to the neighbours of this place to see me leaving someone's home. Not the exorcists especially.

*Ahem*. . . As I _teleported_ outside, more specifically to edge of the road where I had abandoned my shopping before engaging with . . . eh, Carnivayel, or something like that. He was not even worth remembering in name. I took back my bag and teleported that to my apartment without further delay as I pondered on our next moves.

 **["I guess"]** Ddraig started to say, **["If there is someone out there who wants us to go knock off some stuck-up crow gnawing at his perch from his pedestal, which they happened to label for us. I think it best we live up to the expectation."]**

Having been cooped up for so long, it made sense that Ddraig was ready to take any action that was handed to us on a silver platter. Even if it did turn out to be a trap, I'm sure it would have been more entertaining than sitting it out while he continued to rock himself silly with boredom behind emerald shaded lenses.

One crow had gotten my blood pumping, so I had no qualms with beating down another. I still had a bit of pent up anger I needed to vent.

"Precisely. Which means this Throwneyah guy that deadman mentioned is probably there right now. With any luck, we can get there before anyone dies."

 **["What will you do if the heirs of Gremory and Sitri arrived and you're still in full armour?"]**

That was a very good question. The problem was, I had no idea how I was going to answer that at the time.

"Since they can't see my face. What would you say would make them suspicious it's me if they don't recognise my voice?"

I swear that if he had nostrils, he would have snorted. Not that I didn't understand his reasoning even after he had to deliver his opinions toward the matter.

 **["I hardly think you're talented enough to mask your mannerisms even if you were that skilled in manipulating your vocal chords. Don't forget that they are doing deals behind the human authorities' backs on a daily basis. I doubt you could lie your way out of a confrontation like that if they sniffed anything fishy."]**

"What if" I said, cutting in before he had time to continue on with the obvious flaws in trying to mask my own voice, "it wasn't a voice or mannerism? They would have no choice but to withhold doubt. For example; what if the voice was truthful, but one they had never heard before?"

 **["How so?"]**

I didn't look at him, or should I say the jewel in my left arm. I only needed to give him a slight tap to the bright green casing where his vision may or may not have been observing me from the entire time we had been comrades, in order to illustrate my point.

"My voice doesn't command the same authority a [Red Dragon Emperor] does."

I wondered as I turned my head to the sky if Ddraig was able to see the subtle smile under my visor where no one else was able to read my emotions. If the glint behind emerald tinted glasses was caught from his view behind his own emerald globe to my left hand as I reached it upwards to the coming sight of the moon.

"There is only one logical substitute. Isn't there, Partner?"

If there had been anytime I had seen Ddraig openly smile despite not having a mouth in which to bare his teeth. This, was one of those occasions that his fangs looked pleasingly menacing.

 **["Yes. I suppose there is."]**

* * *

A stare off between the devils and the youkai continued. Four of us, including I, **Himejima Akeno** , and at least thrice a dozen youkai surrounding us from any possible chance of escape or attack. Not that we were thinking of doing the latter even if we were desperate.

I can't say much except that we were at a silent standoff. The youkai of Kyoto, led by the turquoise coloured kit-, _huli jing_ with the verbal tick had the advantage on us in terms of numbers and leverage, but they were prevented from making a move.

Why? There was no reason.

Well, there was no initial reason. But, we were lucky to catch a break in the form of a little girl.

"Su~u! Where are you?"

As we were ready to taste their wrath, a small voice called out among the crowded streets. Though none of the humans could hear a sound other than their own self-absorption with the sights and the sounds of the city. That was not the same for supernatural presences that had gathered to this side alley from the busy, buzzing roads of the ancient city.

"Hime- _hhian_ (-sama)!"

The Chinese youkai reacted, or more specifically her body stance reacted while her face remained relatively the same, turning around toward the direction where that voice had reached out from.

This little girl didn't look a day older ten years old. Maybe even eleven. She was a petite little thing with golden yellow hair with two fluffy fox ears poking out of the unruly parts of her hair. Covered in a very lovely and complimenting miko outfit that was lifted up at the back to accommodate a collection of nine small tails that waved and flutter in the wind like scarfs.

I wondered if there was a shop in this city selling these outfits out. I thought as I looked at how adorable she looked in it how I might like to try one on. Ufufu.

"Su. You promised you'd let me see the Manga Museum. You wouldn't take me last year. You said it was too busy. You promised mother you'd watch me so I could go!"

Kyoto International Manga Museum was only opened in the city as recently as November the previous year. If it hadn't been for the difficulty in obtaining the passes to enter the city in the first place, I think I would have found myself being dragged to the grand opening last year with my arm severely locked with Rias' arm.

The more you know, I guess. Ufufu.

"Hime-hhian. I apologise for being so rude shi. But, this is not the time for su-"

"You promised me, Su. You promised. You said we could go this year!"

Despite her expressions and voice never changing from dead neutral that only conveyed emotion by the positioning of her eyebrows, the tone of her face was starting to sweat under the pressure.

It appears that this little princess is enough to make even a terrifying ghost beast like a huli jing sweat. But, you can always wonder if there are other ways. Ufufu.

"You are, Princess Kunou?"

It was a daring move that Sona made, stepping forward and interrupting the two youkai in their exchange. It wasn't as if the hundred or so that had us surrounded didn't notice. They readied themselves to attack, but none of them dared to make the first move.

Of course they wouldn't. It wasn't as if the idea of war was an ideal situation for them as well, especially when it's the younger sister of the Maou who could twinkle and destroy this county twelve times over.

Grabbing the hems of her hakama to the point that her _zori_ (sandals) and white _tabi_ (socks) were now visible, she performed a light curtsey. It was slightly wrong in execution, with her left side being tugged higher than her right, and instead of lowering herself, she tilted slightly to her right.

But, her little fox ears poking from her golden hair twitched slightly and all those misgivings seemed to wash away. I even found myself trying to resist the urge to pet them.

"Uh-hm. I am the ninth heir to the Youkai of Kyoto and the Kansai provinces. My name is Kunou of the Ikkan Dynasty, daughter of Yasaka."

And now for the history lesson;

Ikkan (一冠) was the first monarch to unify the youkai of Kyoto under a single governing system. He also employed in a policy of maintaining equilibrium with the Japanese humans and onmyouji to stabilise the region. He had no sons, so the title after his time was finished was passed to his daughter, Nirin (二輪), and so the tradition goes on, whether the heir be male or female.

I don't know any more than that, except for a few names following, but where the previous head goes after serving their time as leader is unknown even among their own kind; some say they leave to join the Shinto in their slice of paradise, or one source claim they turn themselves to stone to wait for the end of the world.

I know which version I would prefer. To be bound in a rock hard shell. Unable to move. Unable to breath. And when I'm finally released only to set about writhing our enemies in pain and torment. Arara.

Vastly different than the leader of the Tokyo youkai does, but that's for another time.

Picking up the little turquoise fox in her arms like a stuffed animal, she held up our dutiful would be prosecutor in her hands like showing off a pet.

"And this, is Su-chan. Her name is Su Tachi, but I call her Su-chan."

"Hime-hhian. This is not the time. Please refrain from picking me up when we are apprehending criminals."

Her cheeks were so rosy that flowers could have budded underneath her fur. Though she refused to struggle, the uncomfortable ness of her fur and skin forming folds beneath her front legs was evident. Aagin, her voice refused to adapt in tone to her discomfort.

Following the young princess' introduction, our tenacious fukukaichou led our response.

"My name is Sona Sitri, heiress to the [Prince of Sitri]. And this is my friend Rias, heiress to the [Duke of Gremory]. Also behind us are our Queens, Shinra Tsubaki and Himejima Akeno. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Princess Kunou."

Ufufu. Sona never lets a chance like this slip her by. If this adorable child was indeed a member of the royal family of the Kyoto Youkai, then the opportunity was not going to be wasted to salvage this situation for us.

Even criminals caught red handed can still get away scot-free with the nicest of words. Arara.

Well, we all certainly took the advantage to our daring fukukaichou's brave step forwards, following her words with polite and respectful bows to the princess of youkai. It's not every day one gets to meet with ancient royalty such as this.

Especially in these situations. Ufufu.

"Himejima. Shinra. Two of the Five Principal Clans. Employed . . . by devils."

Even with her neutral voice and embarrassing position, Su-chan, ufufu, looked at both I and Tsubaki not as simple petty criminals anymore, but as homicidal murders. That death glare sent a tingle down my spine that stoked up euphoria.

The words she wanted to express was "youkai killers". An accurate assessment of both our family clans given their reputation of exorcizing evil spirits, which in a broad term included youkai species in that category also. I know I have done my fair share for a small profit even before I became Rias' Queen, and I assume Tsubaki has done a few in her time also before meeting Sona.

No. I couldn't get overexcited with the idea of turning them to dust as the writhe with agony. This needed to be handled peacefully.

"Hmm? They don't sound like bad people, Su-chan."

But, as it happens, their little princess was quite naïve for a nine year old. Easily believing the words of devils a little too easily. Tilting her head as she looked confused by her underling's detailed description with youthful ignorance.

"They are devils, Ohime-hhian. They are reputed for their cunning and silver tongues-shi."

". . . But, their tongues are pink, not silver. I think your Japanese is slipping, Su-chan."

Only now did the blueish green youkai wrestle herself from her princess' grip and dropped like a cat back to the floor.

"Ohime-hhian. I would exercise caution and allow us to rectify the situation. Also, may you please refrain from using that name when we're in the public's eye."

Aww. It was so cute how she tucked her tail between her legs. The drooping of her ears

"But Su-chan said I could call Su-chan that whenever I wanted."

If this was an anime, then Su-chan's eyes would have popped open. Upsetting her princess like that, how shameful. Arara. Watery eyes are the death of that kuudere posture she was no longer able to maintain.

"Ohime-hhian. Please, we must deal with the internal threat within our borders first-shi.

"Couldn't we just let them off with a warning and let them go?"

That twitch of her ears as she leant her had to her left, such an adorable child. If this wasn't an arrest I wouldn't be able to hold myself back.

Though, given that I must hold back Rias, who is practically drooling at the mouth. Ufufu.

"O-Ohime-hhian, you are truly too good hearted for this cruel world-shi."

Arara, is this the sign of a forbidden affection between a loyal first lieutenant toward her princess she swore to defend? Please let this be, O' Four Great Maou-samas.

Joking aside, she shook off her wild imaginations and returned back to her warden officer persona she tried to maintain. Poor little Su-chan, ufufu. It's a little too late to take back all that has happened.

"But, alas, this is one request that we your servants cannot abide by."

". . . B-But, Rory-kami said we should."

Su-chan stopped everything. All the youkai did, as we looked around with sudden confusion. Eyes darted darting around, with many of them looking at each other in confusion, losing all stoic disposition they once possessed.

"She did?"

Well, to say that none of us saw this development happen. Both our King's looked at each other in great confusion to what had started to unfold before us.

"Ro-Rory . . . -kami? Is that someone we should know?"

Sona shook her head to Rias' question before turning to us.

"Tsubaki? Akeno? Are either of you familiar with this deity"

Tsubaki was the first to reply. "That name doesn't ring a bell."

I followed shortly after. "I don't at all recognise it. Sorry."

Despite both of us as Queen being well versed in the lore, Rory was not a goddess that was familiar with us. But the amount of respect that she seemed to command was enough that these yokuai started looking uneasy about the situation now.

"Rory-kami said we can trust them. They're home is in danger and we need to let them go."

Acting as our unofficial solicitor, the princess worked her words on her subordinates. Her small words and simple construction of sentences was super effective when pitted against the turquoise petite fox with many tails.

"Kunou-himehhian. Is it true, does the Lady- _zenhhian_ (kamisama) wishes to allow these devils to walk free despite violating our treaty shi?"

"Uh-hm; Rory-kami told mother that we must. Rory-kami wishes to allow them to save her home. I think that it is their home too. I wouldn't want them not to save their homes. And neither does Rory-kami, or mother. We should let them go."

Oh please, Su-chan, you should be grinding your teeth like that. If you do, you'll ruin that lovely smile of yours. Or, you deprive others to opportunity to make you do so later, ufufu.

Even while her sharp oral dentures were being levelled to bricks, she eventually couldn't withstand the wide eyes of the blonde haired kitsune princess looking back at her in a squatting position. The final knock out was probably the lengthy stroking up and down her body that seemed to destroy what left of her willpower there was.

"I-I-If it is the will of one of the zenhhian, and by order of our queen we withdraw and allow your departure from the city."

The various guardian youkai that had cut off our routes of escape no longer appeared around us, as one by one they started melting and turning away from the scene. Many of whom returned to the city in the walls and in the streets themselves like spirits of the very city.

The only ones left, were us four, Princess Kunou, her Su-chan, and a couple of tengu youkai who may have been her highness' guards.

"We are in your debt, Princess Kunou. Thank you for our release."

Rias knows her manners, but I am more surprised by how she managed to muster those words out after having to hold herself back from the whole kawaii mood that was blooming in the wake of this youkai epidemic in this area.

We all took a bow to express our thanks to the young princess, but her bodyguard's eyes didn't soften when looking at us. How cruel, arara.

"Wait. Even if we have released them, you should allow yourself to let your guard down around devils. Even if this time her majesty and the zenhhian allowed them to go free, they are still a dubious bunch."

"Then, may I make a suggestion?"

I had no idea what Sona was planning, but when she initialised her plans, we were all relatively shocked by the outcome.

"As collateral in case we should be lying, my friend Rias and her Queen will remain behind to insure our good behaviour while I and my Queen are away. I am sure that both parties will find this a suitable arrangement."

Rias was a child again, and only in the mental sense considering she was such a stiff in public even before she finally started maturing. Her eyes sparkled at the prospect of being escorted around the city by an entourage of Kyoto youkai was almost like ticking a notice from her wish list.

'I guess we get to go to the manga museum after all, Rias. Ufufu, with a royal escort and supervision no less.'

Su-chan was shocked but less than amused if that was how you interested her stone faced look, but a long excited look with wide eyes that shimmered defused that potential bomb shell from exploding. Even if said bombshell never looked any different.

And so, while Son and Tsubaki made their preparations to once again teleport back to rescue our kouhais, Rias and I ended our day with a tour guide in royal splendour. Certainly, one of the best field trips I had ever been on.

* * *

Our battle was over. Not in our favour though. We were all defeated and unable to continue, including I, **Kiba Yuuto**.

That closing afternoon was the worst experience in all of our lives, and I can verily say that with confidence; our bodies were beaten, burnt and mostly broken. Those who could still stand were wobbling on shaken stances, and the ones on the floor were in barely any condition to crawl.

I myself remembered the fatigue that was present. Over using my Sacred Gear had cost me dearly and the rewards were hardly worth reaping at my strength. I stayed to my feet not because I could. My ankle was likely broken and a light spear protruding through my other leg had lost to me my greatest asset as a Knight in service the Gremory family.

I do not say that my nature was forcing me to stand. No. Every instinct in my body had told me to run as far and away as possible after I started feeling the energy in my body dwindle to its lowest quarter. I had pushed the thought again and again until I was too far in to back away.

I stood, because I was one of the few that were still willing to hide the pain.

After so many hours in battle at our school, it was all too apparent that many of us were injured beyond measure, and even our healers were failing to accomplish their respective jobs on account of this energy sap.

On this field of battle, we were always at the disadvantage; the attack had caught us by surprise and we were largely unprepared. Our one hope had not come, and we were aware that it was a probability that we shouldn't have counted on to be immediately. But it hadn't come, and we had lost hope and our fighting spirits with it.

I can honestly say that had there been no intervention, we would have all died that day. Just as Nimura-san had.

That was a thought I found unbearable.

My precious comrades all dying together with me. Again.

"Can't say I had fun. No. You six have bored me for long enough."

That fallen, the one I no longer wished to continue calling Sakuyama, came out of this battle barely scratched nor beaten. All of our efforts proved little to naught against him. Worst was how little he thought of us.

The expression on his face, with his head leaning slightly to his right side; there was nothing but lowly contempt as if he could have simply stepped over us and wouldn't have batted an eye.

He summoned a spear to his hand, but there was no more dramatics or enthusiasm in his movements or his words. It was just as he called it; he was bored of us.

Raising it above his head like he was about to throw a javelin without much deliberation, he cocked his head to the dead body of Nimura-san before turning his nose up at the rest of us still alive in after this ordeal.

"With no more . . . nuisances to get in the way. Let's finish what I should have done. Without intrusions."

 **["I have every right to intrude!"]**

Sakuyama lost grip of his spear as it seemed tip off balance from his arm and fall to the ground. It shattered, but the light didn't vanish. That was when we all noticed that the light was not his.

We looked up, and then we saw it; a glowing red star hanging above our heads.

Or so we initially assumed it was, when it started shooting straight downwards towards the ground.

"What the hell? What ar-"

*BU-KOOM*

Dust crashed everywhere, and the wind shot out in every direction away from the crash site. We who were barely able to crawl on the floor were covering our eyes and holding our grounds from the serious force that was pushing at us like the impact of two cars colliding head on.

As soon as our visions were clearer, the muddy smoke lingered longer than we had anticipated. And in that brownish fog, a green eye broke through, piercing the dust in an ominous stare.

 **["The last being who asked me that is a million pieces of dust. He had black wings and a disgusting face. Just. Like. Yours."]**

There, standing there in the rising filthy mist was a tall figure in full armour. It was only after the dust settled that the blood red metal shine like a large ruby. The way the light rolled off of it, I swore that he was wearing a river of leaking arteries that intoxicated the air around him. Smoke and steam also seemed to escape him, like a fire was being stoke under the layers of metal blades.

It had large wings this armour, bat-like, but were almost as independent as arms, and sharp protruding edges that seemed to cut the very air encircling this emerging metal figure. It was humanoid in shape, and that was the least unsettling thing about it, but the image and the aura and the pressure that it exerted was larger than its initial form.

It was not an easy thing to describe; I had only every witnessed Buchou's older brother, Maou Sirzechs' exert pressure that seemed to greatly dwarf his more natural form. His was a Goliath that could have easily towered over the skyscrapers of Dubai themselves and crush them underfoot just as easily if he potentially unleashed all that power.

While this red being wasn't as big, the shape of it as it appeared was no man. Though humans would never had been able to perceive just how terrifying this figure standing before us was, we devils could. The monster that appeared in the gushing bloodied aura encasing him was a dragon. There was nothing more that could have described it.

The beast that appeared in the red mist was nothing less than a beast capable of destroying gods and the Maou alike. Even without a true visual on it, there was this presence of sharp blood lusting eyes staring right through you, and a set of viciously razor fangs that were filled with insatiable desire to tear into your flesh and stain its glands with the taste of fresh meat.

It was understandable just how terrified Sakuyama was when this red metal-mantled reaper cut himself right in the middle of the school grounds. His eyes lost all colour as his much of his face and hands. His spear was affected too, blinking on and out of existence like an old neon light that couldn't handle the poor connection between it and its source of power.

"Y-y-you've got to be kidding me?"

Sakuyama's wings had forgotten how to fly, as he tried to flap them whilst crawling away backward with both his eyes too afraid to turn from the red figure blasting hot air through the gaps. It didn't move any closer.

But it did not need to.

The green eyes of the dragon knight in red flashed for a brief moment, and then there were traces of jade smoke that glittered and sparked leaking all over the various jewels in his armour.

 **["The [Red Dragon Emperor] doesn't joke when it comes to killing those who dare make him angry. I, never joke about those I had slaughtered in the thousands across a hundred lifetimes."]**

'The [Red Dragon . . . Emperor]?'

It was not a passing mention, but when that name was called out, I knew who this was; in the days of yore, there were many great and powerful dragons that dominated the worlds of men. Only two ever reached the rank of [Heavenly Dragon], both of whom were turned into two of the most powerful Sacred Gears ever created; {Boosted Gear} and {Divine Dividing}.

The [Red Dragon Emperor], this being standing before us, was the possessor of the {Boosted Gear}, one of the Longinus.

 **["I am the [Heavenly Dragon] who terrorized the [Four Great Satans] and God himself. I am the [Red Dragon of Domination], Y Ddraig Goch!"]**

His green eyes turned on us. I will not deny the feeling of fear sweeping over us when those sharp pieces of jade started shining on us. He swung out his left arm toward us, before pointing his index finger in our direction.

 **["Devils of Gremory and Sitri! Listen well!"]** He bellowed. Even his voice seemed to shake the air and earth he moved across. **["I have no qualms with you, nor your masters. Your friend from the Phenex clan is safe also, injured as he is."]**

'Issei-kun . . . is fine?'

Injured though, which meant that he most definitely attacked as well tonight. I hoped that he was at the very least recovering before I concerned myself with what the [Red Dragon Emperor was doing next.

He was alive though. That brought me great relief.

I nearly fell to my knee knowing I no longer needed to stand, but I stayed on my feet with the weight of my comrades safety no longer on my shoulders. Even Yura-san and Meguri-san were finding the strength to hold themselves high again at the sight of this overwhelming aid.

Sakuyama tried to continue crawling away, but the [Red Dragon Emperor] was not done with him; he didn't rush, but he walked at a strong pace that the time between him reaching his prey to when he started walking were faster than any of us expected.

 **["Rats have no use for wings! You don't need to fly crawling around in the sewage all day."]**

*Hhriiip!*

Bones and tendons snapped and ripped as the [Red Dragon Emperor} grabbed hold of both his wings, tugging at them until they were broken loose from the back of his spine. His voice rang out in pain, but no discernible words or cry was distinguishable as he flopped almost lifelessly to the floor.

No longer, could he be considered an angel. Wingless as he was, he looked very much inhuman only after losing his insignias of divinity. Although I should have felt disgusted by how he had been amputated like this, I was overcome by disdain for Sakuyama for all that he had put us through and all that we had endured.

But, most of all, for what he had done Nimura-san. I was not a vengeful person, but only his death could pay for hers.

His back was spurting blood like two little fountains that stained the back waist of his school trousers and the entirety of his white shirt, but even after having been clipped of flight, the {Red dragon Emperor didn't seemed satisfied, as we found out by the sudden building aura of green that increased around his left arm.

 **["{Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!} {Boost!}"]**

Grabbing Sakuyama by the collar, as the weight of his limp body dropped like a rag-doll beriffed of life, the green eyes of his helm flashed again, as did all the lights upon his body.

 **["This ought to be enough remove your existence from this earth! The last one was just overkill because he really dug under my claws!"]**

There was no strength in his arms. Small drops of blood started forming into pools from the tips of his toes.

"P-p-please! Have mercy!"

Two small streams of steam wheeshed out of the helmet of the red suit of armour. There was a small uncomfortable shaking that rattle him, but it was over very quickly.

 **["I, who have killed Gods and Monster's for thousands of years. You expect that I would show you who is worth less than his own tongue mercy?"]**

He placed his left hand across Sakuyama's chest.

 **["I will not make you wait any longer"]**

 **["{Burst!}"]**

There was no sound. Only a blinding light, before a small explosion detonated in the place where the energy was released. There were sounds of splatters and spills, but nothing could be seen in that blinding light.

For devils, this was torture in of itself, which meant that our eyes stung for a while after, and our visions took longer to return than a human's would have.

I wish there was much more that I could have described about the scene after my vision returned to its normal functions. But, there was nothing but the splatters of blood and skin scattered in every direction, and a pair of black wings still freshly bleeding. If looked close enough, there was also white granules that I assumed were chips and splinters of bone as well.

The [Red Dragon Emperor}, however, had vanished. Not a beat of his metal wings. A clang of his joints. The sounds and light must have been an excessive cover for his escape. That was what we deduced.

The only trace of his existence had been a crater dug into the school grounds with two three taloned metal boots engraved into the bedrock beneath the foundations. And of course, there was the haunting memory of his thick red aura as that of an intelligent god-slaying beast, and green eyes that pierced even the thickest smoke.

What not six devils, even inexperienced as we were, could do against a single fallen angel. He did; one Sacred Ge- one Longinus wielder had accomplished with the faintest of efforts like he had snapped a toothpick between his fingers without needing to his own blood to do so.

I looked behind me to my comrades, their expression in the mix. Some like Kusaka-san were still terrified after a long day of near death, while other like Yura-san and Meguri-san were just relived that we were no longer in danger.

A magic circle appeared a few leagues ahead of us to one of the exits of the school grounds. At first, I imagined that either Buchou or Fukukaichou had at last come to our aid, but I was wrong about that.

The circle that appeared was neither blue, nor red.

It was gold.

"Gaah!"

A boy, larger than my own self fell out head first, colliding his face against the floor. If this had been a gravel or concrete based grounds, then his head would have suffered worse than a simple friction burn. While we stood on guard, our defences dropped by the sight of a familiar brown hair.

And the Phenex simple branded to his left hand, visible only to our eyes.

"Issei!"

"""Hyoudou-san!"""

Issei fell shoulder first and rolled to his side as he reacted in pain. He choked a little as blood left his systems before I managed to hobble over to where he lay. Light trails of white steam was rolling off him like he had escaped a forest fire.

I hobbled over to him, as did Yura-san, but the time we took to reach him put strain not only on our own bodies that we expended the rest of our strength, but it was evident that Issei was now lying in a small puddle of red now even if it was soaking into the soil.

His eyes were shut, and his breath was alternating between his mouth, through his teeth, and once through his nose where he almost choked from something filling his throat. The rest of him looked just awful, but the idiot still smiled even if he was in serious pain.

"Sorry I didn't make it in time" he said, gritting his teeth as he tried to sit up. He almost got up, but then he looked like he would vomit and then stopped at around sixty degrees before reclining back slowly to around thirty.

"Your arm? Your legs? Your shoulders? Your torso?"

"This is nothing. Just flesh wounds, really."

Though he was putting up a brave smile, it was obvious by how volatile his wounds were that he was in serious pain.

His skin was seriously pale from the amount of blood he had lost. Devils had more blood to spare when it came to taking injuries, but even we could die from a lack of it in our systems. His skin was also seriously sweating and his body temperature was a crude imbalance of coldness and blistering heat.

Cuts and gouges still freshly smoking from either the light spears or his own dose of first aid with cauterizing. His clothes were near irreparable with the amount of holes and stains that were now deeply sown between the seams and fabrics.

In terms of injuries, while he was the luckiest to not have any injury greater than dislocation or broken bones, his wounds were more sever and would begin to become infected if they were not treated properly.

He tried to get up again, but then he slipped on his own hands as he rolled to his front. I tried to reach to him, as did Yura-san, but he pushed his hand out and forced himself to his hands and feet. His stomach gurgled, and he nearly feel forward if we didn't catch him. It wasn't exactly a catch, but he didn't land on his face again, so I will call it as such.

I rose to my feet, as I tried to crane Issei up with me. Lest to say his throbbing arms were heavier than I had anticipated, as was his inability to stand on his own thanks to the wounds in his legs and his arms preventing him being anymore mobile.

Not to mention how hot he was. Touching him felt like I was going to burn my skin of. Now even a fever could account for the heat by simple physical contact.

"Is anyone dead?"

We all fell to silence to his words. Perhaps it was that he was smiling like he had made a joke. But, because he had already looked around and saw us all, all the ones he knew of, still alive he had allowed himself to pull off this humour without realising how dark it was.

"W-What?"

He looked at me is disbelief as everyone's eyes either averted his look or took time to gaze at his with an expression of awkwardness rising in tensions around us. It was only when he looked around and looked again that his eyes finally noticed the lying body that had neither looked upon him or at any direction since he had arrived.

His jaw dropped a little, but he held himself from gawking at the sight of the empty hole in the middle of her torso.

"Nimura Ruruko. She was in my class. She was an idiot. She wasn't my friend, and yet she tried to save me. The moron."

Though Koneko's words were harsh, to say that they matched the expression of her face or the tone resonating through her voice was not at all accurate. Even after so long after she had passed and her body was now cold like the air, Koneko held close to her body like she was trying to keep her warm.

Well, nothing was going to keep her innards warm with a large gaping hole having already blown through her abdomen. Healing it now, even with how little our healer's reserves were now would be a wasteful endeavour. If nothing else, it would be insulting to cover up the wound that she took unto herself so that Koneko didn't instead.

Even if casualties had been kept to the bare minimum, there is always someone who pays the price in war. Especially those not directly involved.

It was in the gathering darkness, that at last our salvation came;

It was a Sitri teleportation circle, in bright and shining navy coloured light.

Out from the array of magic produced illumination was the Fukukaichou, and her Queen. Not in uniform, but clothes more appropriate for tourism for the day. Glasses were shaded. Tops where short sleeved or no sleeves at all. Shoes without socks or toes, and even small accessories for clipping their hair they would have barred themselves for attaching had they still been in school. If I may be completely honest, this was a first for many of us that, if not all, we had probably seen the two of them in much more relaxed manners of dress.

"I apologise to you all for being so late. There were too many complication that interfered in making our departure. I can see you are all tired and exhausted, as well as severely injured, so I will try to rectify this predicament as tidily and orderly as we can. Tsubaki, please attend to their wounds if you please."

"As you wish, Sona."

After a long day, I must confess that I was just so relieved that everything had ended that the appearance of the Sitri King and Queen was a welcomed sight indeed. With the fukukaichou's handling of the new steps, and Shinra-senpai filling in as the much required medic for the ones still with severe wounds, it was looking toward a good conclusion had it not been for the ones mistake we had allowed to happen.

"We will leave the restoration work until tomorrow. I think we can just be thankful tha-."

She stopped mid-sentence when she looked around to all of our faces. Even Shinra-senpai, who was diligently working her magic in restoring the immediate injuries neither of the Sitri Bishops had any strength left to fix, noticed how the mood had remained dreary as when she first arrived.

"We had one casualty" I explained, after Shinra-senpai finished work on Yura-san's legs and arms and had moved onto deal with the holes everywhere on Issei.

"Any of ours?"

It was then that our eyes, followed by her own and Shinra-senpai's drew unto the deceased girl on Koneko's lap.

"No" Hanakai-san continued, brushing aside a few locks of reddened white hair from her face. "There was a bystander caught up in the attack. But, she didn't make it."

"I see. Most unfortunate. And this is?"

Lady Sona walked over and knelt to Koneko, which was logical given her question related more to her as they were both still dressed in their matching middle school uniforms, even if one was more or less destroyed than the other.

"Nimura Ruruko. She's in Kuoh's Middle School division. Class 3-B. I don't why she was even here. But, she saved my life, at the cost of her own."

The words started to choke up my usually emotionless kouhai and fellow servant. It was not just her that had been upset over this, but there was no mistaking that this tragedy had hit her the hardest in all this.

For a moment, I swore that I saw her mouth the words 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.'

Shinra-senpai had finished up with Issei's serious spear wounds, but he was still unable to stand on his own which I attempted to allow for him. He was still sickly pale and he appeared to have no more energy left in him that he was blacking in and out regularly.

Whatever happened in that fight with the fallen on his own battlefield, he must have expended more than he could have usually handled.

"I will make this right."

As Shinra-senpai began to work on my legs, my eyes turned to the Fukukaichou, who stood back up and placed out her left palm. A smaller teleportation circle erupted and then a box apparated into her hands.

A box of chess pieces. Her Evil Pieces.

The lid opened and inside were a selection of sapphire coloured pieces; one knight, one rook, and eight pawns. Her remaining pieces.

It was then that I started to piece together what the fukukaichou was planning. Having known from experience, it was obvious that she was going for a post-mortem reincarnation. I wasn't sure how far long a person who was deceased could be reincarnated, but apparently if the fukukaichou believed that there was chance, then she was going to do so.

Both Gasper and I had been near death by the time Buchou had found us, but we were still very much alive when the process had begun.

But I believed in what Lady Sona was planning. If she knew of a way to bring Nimura-san back to us, then it would be a most satisfying conclusion to this evening.

". . . H . . . h-Hey! W-what are you . . . doing?"

Despite being in a disorientated and nauseated state even after being fully patched up of his external injuries, it was Issei who voiced protest once he saw her pry her fingers for an aquamarine coloured Pawn piece. His face couldn't hold the correct expression with how much his conscience actually tied to the situation was unknown by how easily he looked to be slipping as I saw it from his right side.

"I can fix the school building. I can erase the memories, or even change them to better adjust to what has happened here today. But, I cannot bring a human back to life. Not unless I use this."

Presenting her pawn piece, like she was holding a jewel between her fingers, levelling it to her sights as if she was analysing it for monetary properties. My only guess was either she was looking it over in case she was handing over a mutation piece by looking into the thread of life imbued into the piece. But it was only my speculation.

Given how even at near death that Nimura-san had not displayed any usual string talents, it was by a . . . 'logical' point that a single pawn piece was the minimal requirement. Or if not, then there were always more that could have been added on top in stockpile.

"y- . . . y-You're going t-to turn her into a . . . devil?" Issei repied.

"I have little to no options."

"Bu-"

His cheeks swelled like he was about to lose his lunch or whatever he last ate before arriving here. His eyes shot wide for a single second, but then he seemed to lose the rest of his strength to stay awake as his weight started leaning more on me than it had done before. His breathing was still relatively stable for a seriously injured person, but there was partial wheezing in between each breath.

Yura-san ended up taking him home on the fukukaichou's orders by a simple nod. With all that he had been through today, I think he needed rest the most out of all of us. A magic circle appeared behind us as I let go of Issei into Yura-san's as she walked him to the blue teleportation pad and promptly vanished, presumably to his home.

Despite him being the only one to create verbal conflict, I could see by a few more faces that circled this area that perhaps his opinion wasn't as singular as it appeared. I cannot say with certainty if that was so, but our fukukaichou pressed her lenses to her eyes and ran down her reasons for this decision in any case.

"I have only two options here I can take, and both are evils I would rather not delve with; I must either take her on into my peerage as a devil. Or, we allow her to remain deceased, and give in to the natural state of mourning to follow for her parents, her peers, friends, other relatives. Out of two evils, I would think that everyone who cares for her would rather have her return to them on her own two feet than six feet under in a wooden casket."

It was a dark analogy, but it was as right as it was effective in its description of the most logic repercussions.

She held up her Pawn piece in such a way that it reminded me of folktales or anime where a prized jewel was being held up against the sun or the moon. However, in this darkness of twilight between the day and night, nether were visible, except for its luminous blue glow that illuminated her hand at the tips of her thumb, index and middle fingers.

"With this, I am taking responsibility for my actions."

"Sona-"

She raised her hand to stop Tsubaki from contradicting her statement.

"No. I believed before this incident that simply having a means of bringing myself here to re-assume order would have been enough. I had little to no other options in given circumstances, but I still chose an ill-suited contingency for this inevitable dilemma. I never took the youkai barrier in and around Kyoto into consideration as a difficult obstacle, nor did I overestimate the strength of the two fallen as I should have. This girl's life is on my hands. The very least I can do is give her a new one in compensation."

She looked as if she would take another step forward, but then her gaze looked across each and every one of us left present.

"Any further objections?"

In the end, there was none.

I didn't see the ritual take place as we were all made to return to our homes and recuperate for the night.

I pried Koneko from the arms of her then deceased classmate. I had expected more resistance by how string her grip was, but largely I couldn't quite adjust my mind-set to what was going on in my kouhai's head. After finally losing her grip she didn't wrestle herself to return but surrendered to me as I took her away to allow the fukukaichou to do what she needed.

I remember a very strong behind our heads blue light erupting that brought light to the darkening day. Just before stepping toward the magic circle to home with Koneko, I could hear the ritual take place;

"In the name of the Prince of Sitri, I command you. You, whose life was taken from you prematurely. I, whose responsibility it was to prevent this accepts the responsibilities of your demise and will take you on into my peerage. Arise again as a devil. And rejoice for the beginning of your new life!"

It put my heart at ease, knowing that even after all we had struggled to hold unto today, no one had _permanently_ died. Even while the means of which we achieved it unsettled at least one of us, I was thankful for this miracle.

The day had at last come to an end.

We, had survived.

* * *

 **?**

"Ho ho. It would appear that the plan has been foiled. But incompetent employers were going to get the axe sooner or later, I suppose. It just so happens I didn't need to lift a finger in that effort."

' _What do you think He would say to your choices in accomplices?_ '

"That would depend on the definition; those three earthbound angels were never to have survived long. Even had the task I caressingly whispered with sugar-tipped truths been fulfilled, I doubt that the new Maous would have twiddled their thumbs for long before sending out the extermination corps for them seconds after the news reached them."

 **'And yet didn't happen.'**

"No matter. They were barely pawns. Heck, I wouldn't have even considered them a part of the board nor the table. Dust mites, are all they were. Insignificant, and were just there without even really being seen by either players."

' _He he he. Dust mites are worth more than those three easily. Still, a [Red Dragon Emperor] has awoken it would seem. And, sided with devils._ '

"I know very well. That makes eleven accounted out of thirteen. But, now two firmly stacked against us. Or perhaps not. No matter."

' **The Heroes have three** _.'_

 _'The Magicians have one.'_

{-Heaven one.-}

 _'Hell one.'_

 **'Grigori three.'**

{-Vampires one.-}

 **'One unclaimed.'**

 _'And two undiscovered. But, the real question is will there be more to come?_ '

"If there is a war between god-level beings and Sacred Gear users from all sides, I would say yes. The probability of new Longinus emerging is most probable, though I doubt it will be worthwhile to think on that when the war inevitably comes."

 **'Every faction, making or breaking ties, and then a grand war before we start off the rapture. Excellent. Our goals will eventually reach their fruition.'**

"Well, we mustn't waste the rest of this day. I wonder if our _dear friends_ have made any progress. But, more importantly, our sword wielding friend needs to fill us in with his recruitment drives success."

{-Yes. How will a psychopath fit into our exclusive circle, I wonder?-}

"Very well, I should hope. So long as his ego doesn't control him, he will fit just like the other fingers in this large glov-, in this large gauntlet we are about to bring down upon this world. Come, let's return before his highness gets too itchy with impatience."

' _Of course._ '

 **'Yes. We must return to our Prince.'**

{-And so it shall be. Let the chips fall, as they say.-}

* * *

Sunday at midday. The congregation had already even if there were only the three of us attending church service. Apart from Father Mertens and I, **the [Christibe-]** . . . *ahem* I, **Hanna** , we only had one other believer who came to Sunday service.

It may not have seen important, but in this town deprived of the Lord's blessing, it came as quite a surprise that week after week that there was at the very least one person who still wished to be received into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mrs Takamiya was among the elderly, one of the eldest of her generation in fact. Her mother had been born here, while her father was an American soldier stationed in the region before choosing to settle down following the end of the Second World War. Her children and her grandchildren had moved into the Tokyo Metropolitan area for a better life, and only came to visit in July.

Overall, she was a very nice person, and it was pleasant to talk with, although she did often repeat herself over and over. I think her Christian name was 'Maria', after the virgin mother, but she tried to show me the spelling in kanji to spell it rather than in Latin letters.

She eventually went home after the service, and I was left alone in the makeshift chapel in the basement of our temporary base of operations. Clutching a photograph I had gotten printed the first thing the sun came up across the Pacific, I hesitated through all the morning to show it to Father Mertens.

But, after several minutes of waiting in silence while he sorted through his books and pages and reorganised the room, did the words suddenly leave my mouth.

"Father, forgive me for I have sinned."

He stopped with his organising and dusting of the bookshelves behind the altar, but his head didn't turn. He just stared to his volumes and leather bound epics before setting down his duster and cloth on the lowest shelf within his reach without prostrating himself from his usual height.

"Sinned. Now there's a word I never thought I would from you. Speak, my child. You are in the house of the Lord, and the Lord knoweth all and will forgive his children."

"I-. Well, you see . . ."

I hesitated. The words wouldn't seem to come out. Even speaking in German, which the Father by the grace of the angels was quite fluent in and comfortable to commune with me in, there was no words that I could use to describe this new found confliction printed in paper and ink.

A picture of the [Red Dragon Emperor]. Why did it pain me so to show reluctance even before the Father, my superior? One little detail on it that caught me out when I first glanced on it. That was all, and now my tongue refused to cooperate with me.

"My child, no need to hold back. Tell me what troubles you.

Was it a sense of owing that I held myself back? Why my subconscious was deliberately stopping me without my knowing? Despite the Father's

"What should I do, if I had evidence that could prove that . . . we may have too little information about the devils residing here?"

"And what evidence would that be?"

My grip wouldn't release, but I managed to instead throw my arm out toward him, and present the photo rather than hand it over. I flicked my wrist around to his vision while he leaned in after adjusting his glasses for viewing the finer details in the evidence I had brought him.

But, I expected his eyes to widen at the sight. Just, not how speechless he seemed when he looked upon the giant in red metal dragon-like armour.

His voice seemed . . . distant, in his response. Like he wasn't looking upon a new idea, but a glance upon something he had perhaps long forgotten. Or had simply pushed aside many years ago.

"The [Red Dragon Emperor]. How long has it been?"

"F-Father?"

I started to pull my hands back, but I was shocked as he caught then, with his palms smoothing them on top as his eyes fell level to mine. He looked deep into me, and asked me a simple question to the photo's origins.

"When did you get this?"

My eyes blinked rapidly.

"I-I-I'm unsure. I was unconscious when this was taken."

Hi eyes remained locked for a little while, but he found no lie in my words and exhaled while finally looking away from me, to my relief.

"Hmm. Not even heaven had been able to find a [Red Dragon Emperor] in such a manner. Not since the last one."

My ears pricked up as he started rising again while I remained stunned and seated. "The last one?"

Looking down at me from his height, his usual smile was gone but he was not angry. He looked, well, worried or taken aback when he resumed speaking.

"He died, or a better description would be slain, sixteen or so years ago. It was before you were born I believe." He pondered a minute but then nodded. "Yes, I was a younger man then, but I will never forget that day. That day when we cast him down and destroyed him on the banks of the Rhine."

The previous [Red Dragon Emperor], who died sixteen years ago? That would make sense if the last one died that his successor would have to be that age as well. I didn't understand everything there was, but the logic in the creation of sacred gears was that every generation of humans would have the chance to be blessed with a tool to defend them from the creatures of evil, even if they held no faith in the Lord knowingly.

But, wait; human? No, the current wielder is a devil. That makes no sense why a devil would even be allowed to touch one of God's holy creations without burning up to smoke and ashes.

There were now so many new questions arising in my mind; did they find a way to beat the system? Surely not. Was it even possible? I could have asked myself so many questions, but I was concerned more about what the Father was speaking of.

His previous experience. He had said that he had at the very least fought against him. I realised then just how little I really knew of father Mertens, except that he was once a wielder of the Holy Sword Ascalon, the prized sword of Saint George bestowed unto him by the Lord God himself in person, and that he was experienced in his field. That was all the truth I knew, and it was deplorable.

"Was he one of them . . . a-a devil, as well?"

He shook his head. "No. He was a man. The power of God's artifacts are either a gift or a curse depending on whoever so wields them. You were lucky to have been spared by this one, maybe even rescued."

A man? That still didn't answer my questions, but as it turned out there was a lot of items on the agenda that I had apparently been ignorant of.

He returned to the altar and stood behind it, but no book was to be read as he gripped the sides of the wood resting on the wooden eagles shoulders as if the bible itself was resting within his fingertips' reach.

"Charles LaMont. The [Red Dragon Emperor] of sixteen years prior. I remember him well. I met him once before when I was a simple vicar in my hometown on the outskirts of Antwerp. Before I knew he was the [Red Dragon Emperor], he came to the church I resided over once, asking, questioning my beliefs.

He was a younger man then, barely even a man I should say. At the time, I had thought him to be the most irritable person I had ever met. His constant badgering about how morality had existed before God and that God was not necessary for man to take fate into their own hands. It was probably the first time I had ever truly hated speaking with someone about the subject of faith. More than any devil I had killed before.

I shook him off as easily as I held the belief that Saul had been temporarily blinded by the brilliant revelations of Jesus Christ. He pointed out the blindness in my faith, and as much as I still loathe the memory of that man, the man who he would become as well, I am grateful for the wake-up call from a certain point of view."

"What happened?" I asked, now leaning toward the Father rather than leaning away as I became invested in his story. "Were you not able to sway him to see the truth? Did you at least make him take back his words? Did you even see him again?"

"Yes" he nodded again, "right before he died, I met him on the battlefield. The church labelled him a demon, a true blasphemer and heretic. Enough words to place a religious wide bounty on his head. His own fault, not ours;

He wouldn't let go of his antitheism, even just to be civil with those regardless of what faith they held to. It wasn't atheism that stirred up a monster inside him. No doubt I believe that his own pride and stubbornness resulted in him attempting to take on the role of Lucifer and, I suspect, he would have tried to storm the pearly gates if he could."

He sighed and took a brief pause as he rubbed his eyes. His face appeared wetter than it was when he first started. Mourning comrades, perhaps? Deaths of innocents at the hands of a red armoured demon?

"He spent two years at war with the churches across Europe. Especially over the lowlands. Such times of terror. He tried turning us against our misguided brethren by attacking the Catholics for two weeks, which riled them up into thinking he had been allied with the Protestants, and then vice versa, before he attempted to wipe both forces out. Messy business across the Channel. Even stirred up a feud in the former Yugoslavia just to create anarchy."

"How did they kill him?" I asked him impatiently. Though I was invested in the story, I had lost the want to hear development when I could very easily picture the sort of heretic the previous [Red Dragon Emperor] was without the pages of history dedicated to his infamous exploits.

"The sacred gear he possessed, was not like the small miracles bestowed onto a special few. The Holy Maiden of Chiesa di Sant'Andrea's {Twilight Healing} is a small miracle. His, was not a miracle, but a cataclysm. A weapon that threatened the very life and love of the Lord and all of the Heavens with him. The only thing that could stop a powerful weapon, was an even more powerful weapon.

However, there was a young exorcist who was brought to us that day; Dulio Gesualdo. He was barely an infant when his Sacred Gear awoke. The second strongest Scared Gear in recorded histories."

"{Zenith Tempest}."

I knew very well of the current holder of the title of [Strongest Exorcist]. It was a goal I sought to take myself. More than that, it felt like a birth right I needed to reclaim, after the title had once belonged to my great-great grandfather, and his son afterwards also.

He nodded. "Even at such a young age, the power he wielded was so revered that when he called the heavens to strike him down, they did so with thunderous fury. Tempered by his strong emotions towards the [Red Dragon Emperor's] plight, the storms struck and he came crashing down. Even if he was the possessor of a [Heavenly Dragon], he was still a mortal man. That barrage of lightning burn through his body, and not even his brief activation of [Juggernaut Drive] could save his soul from the righteous hand of God."

*Slam*

A couple of books fell from the table after the father accidentally learnt his elbow too close as they tumbled over the edge and hit the floor. The loud noise startled me, yes, but not so much that I would say I was frightened by it.

He reached down and retrieved them from the cold concrete floor, but continued to speak as if the event had not occurred.

"It was quite a sight. A sad sight, watching one with wings fall from the heavens as he did. I pictured how it must have looked when God cast the devils to Hell and below. The powerful descending from his grace and to the realm of mortal men."

He neatened the pile of three volumes in his hands by levelling them against the table. His eyes no longer looked toward me, but to the covers in his grasp, as he walked to the bookshelf to place them back to their right places with the other literatures.

His voice seemed to lose vitality like his words were starting to choke him.

"I remember walking up to the body. It was still in red armour, but it was in pieces. He was in pieces. But he was still alive. Still breathing. He had doubled himself up by so much strength that even in a state where he shouldn't have survived, his mind was still working. He was dying, but was awake for the whole ordeal."

He stopped putting the last book away, and then he sighed after taking ten seconds to find his thoughts before sliding it into its place. His head remained facing his bibliography collection in front of him.

"Do you know, what he said to me, when he laid eyes upon me?"

I, of course, shook my head, but it was a rhetorical question regardless of how I had responded to it. Even I he was even looking in my direction to see my non-verbal response.

"He asked me 'where is God? Is he missing?' His words spitting out in red as his lungs expelled fluid that was leaking through. I looked at his broken form, and I told him . . ."

I saw his hand reach for his face again. To his eyes I suspected by how filled his nose now sounded.

"I told him the truth. I said 'I don't know'. And he just smiled. He smiled from the moment I answered his question, right until I struck Ascalon through his chest and the light died in his eyes. The last I saw of him was the armour shattering into the tiniest shards before they twinkled and faded away. Leaving behind a naked man. What was left of a naked man? Bare as the day he was born, and a destroyed form that was without arms of any kind."

He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his brow. I heard a sniffle as he turned around, looking toward his desk, like he was refusing to meet my eyes.

"Dulio never forgave himself after that. When he found the corpse charred and broken, but still bearing the form of man, it was too much him at such an innocent age. He saw what horrors his Sacred Gear could do. He saw how he could kill a man.

The kept telling him not to more the faithless, and that he was a true demon, but what he saw was now a scar on his psyche. Gone was the boy, and the man that stood in his place was a little less than five years of age. The [Strongest Exorcist] of our era, was forged in the sight of the fall of a mortal man, and what common men were able to accomplish when they could not feel the love of God."

His hankerchieff returned to his pocket, and a little finger worked into his left eye to clear it of whatever was irritating him there. I had almost started to bite the ends of my right thumb as I got invested in the story, and it troubled me how shaken I was.

I had defeated the enemies of the church, the creatures thriving in the darkness, since the day the church put a blade in my hand and said I must fight. I cannot count the numbers I have killed, because I never thought that numerical were even a figure to consider when it came to the inhumans.

"Sixteen years" he repeated, as my sights returned to him wiping his glasses. "When I think how long that was, I never forgot that feeling. In the end, I mean. I pitied him. I pitied the damned soul. I cannot say why, but God came unto me and all I could feel for the fallen man was pity. I never asked him why he would do such a thing. I never got the time, or took the time to ask.

And before I knew it, it was too late for questions. I will never know now. I regret that. Deep down, I know; I failed in my duty as a guide to the words of God. Rather than exercise patience, I cast him down like a monster, and the monster is what he became."

I heard his teeth chatter a little, only three times, but then his shook his head a little and moved his posture around and now his eyes were focused back on me. One of his hands brushed over his collection of written words.

"After that, I took my focus to studying more. I learnt how very different we all were, us of the Abrahamic faiths, and what was driving us for our beliefs that our interpretation was the correct one."

He walked around his desk, tapping the wooden surface four times in rhythm, as he had seen on television, some British sci-fi program that had finished airing during the summer. I never saw, but the Father had been a fan since its first run in the early sixties. Whether this was of any relevance was most likely not, but something he was doing to occupy his hands while he thought on to his next words.

"I came to a conclusion; we are different and numerous, and no matter which view is the right one, we are all simply exercising our free will as the Lord intended."

He leaned back against his desk and held his finger up.

"A good man is deserving of forgiveness, and a bad man will receive his comeuppance. It is that simple. I believe in that kind of just God."

"What if you are the one who is wrong?"

The words just slipped my mouth. I felt rather embarrassed having said that, but my words had already been made known and couldn't be taken back.

He rubbed down his nose with his right hand with his index finger and thumb. "Then I'll pay for my mistakes in oblivion. However, I do not believe our God is a cruel god to simply punishing a man for believing the best in his name without at least listening to his ideals."

"But do you think-"

I stopped. Deep down, I was questioning whether this story had any meaning. Was the Father trying to tell me something, or was this just a chance for reminiscence.

I believed in the father and that he was my guide to improving myself by enriching my person with his experience, so I needed to decipher the message he was trying to teach me. His own tale of his encounter with the previous [Red Dragon Emperor], was it a reflection of my own encounter?

But, my generation's was not a man. I couldn't even say for absolutely certainty at the time if he was a monster either. This was big news and the church needed to know that the denizens of hell had gotten their claws on. Why was he making this so much more difficult that it should have been? I didn't understand at all at the time.

"Will we have to tell headquarters?"

He sighed, and then stood up as he walked back over the altar across the way from the benches.

"But of course. The sighting of the [Red Dragon Emperor] is imperative to our information network. To withhold it would be as Peter had done unto Jesus Christ, our saviour, and pretend we knew not of him. That, we simply cannot do."

He fiddled with a few of the books on the shelf behind and around that he kept. Apart from the bible, I knew that the Father had an extensive collection of books by many who had researched the occult. While they were unsavoury tokens the church would rather cast into a bonfire of literature, their usefulness outweighed the need to destroy them.

The Lemegeton, or the Lesser Keys of Solomon, was one such book I knew was on that shelf. A book that identified the seventy nobles of the devil's faction, traits, appearances and how large their armies were supposedly. Though the book was grossly outdated, it was the best source we had on the peerage that existed below the Earth.

Apart from that, many books penned by exorcists were on that shelf; Alphonso de Spina, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, Sebastien Michaelis, to name a few. And of course, his prized gospels. Gnostic works. The books rejected when the bible was pieced together from the various sects that had been worshiping in secret.

The Gnostic books with their green leather covers were fiddled through, but it wasn't the book he was looking for. Neither the occult books bound in blue, nor the texts collected in black, not that I knew what general category they belonged to.

"However" he continued, "confirmation of our facts that would delay our reports. So, I do suggest that we assert that our reports are accurate and not merely written on assumptions alone based on one photograph."

He then stopped talking a while as he plucked out the book he was looking for. He turned and in his hands he held a red leather book bound with the Roman numeral 'I' inscribed on it in gold, and the title " _Divina Commedia_ " (The Divine Comedy) above it. 'Dante's Inferno.'

"For like Judas Iscariot who is reviled as a traitor and cast into the third mouth of Satan in the innermost circle of the Inferno, perhaps we are only hearing one side of the story with only one ear. Perhaps to punish one who we misjudge by hearing only how others speak of him is uncivilised and a stain to the name of the church?"

Despite my injured hip and the other injuries that were hindering my movements from peak condition, I wanted to shoot to my feet in protest.

"What you're suggesting is blasphemy, Father."

His eyebrows were the only things to move, but he didn't appear surprised, but curious.

"And yet, our Lord did send his only son to die for our sins, did he not?"

His spare hand reached into the green leather section, but I was aware of which book he was looking for; The Gospel according to Judas. The church officially didn't recognise it as a legitimate text, nor even that it did exist in its fragmented remains, supposedly. Its condition wasn't even the best according to what Father Mertens shared,

"I do not recommend delving too deeply into the temptations of the Gnostic texts. But, as I am always teaching you, expand your thinking just a little more each day. It is the gift of free will that the Lord hath bestowed upon us all."

He put the books down upon his desk and started to walk around the altar. I though he was coming back towards me, but he walked right past the first row and continued his departure down the aisle. I saw him about to ascend, when he stopped the moment his hand reached the bannister.

"Matthew 7:7, 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you'."

As he left for the stair leading back into the house, my knees gave out and I sat back into the front row. Was he asking me not to be hasty or was it merely to ask questions? Either one of these answers would mean that he was saying I was to delay sending the information. Was that it? Was that the entire point of his story; patience?

He mentioned not showing the same patience when the previous [Red Dragon Emperor] came to him with questions, but he was not given any and so the story ends with his demise. Was he making efforts to teach me temperance as well as patience, or was this his way trying to heal his own wounded soul by using my own situation as a proxy.

The only one who would be able to answer these questions was him.

Not the Father. The devil of the Phenex.

My only link to the current [Red Dragon Emperor].

* * *

Over the weekend, even whilst having to make a plausible excuse for vanishing in the middle of the cultural capital of Japan despite really being many miles away back in Kuoh, I **Sona Sitri** , worked to fix up the mess caused by the fallen angel's attack in our joint territory.

The report was the easiest part; from the accounts drafted by each of our servants, it was easy to paint a picture of a couple of rogues looking to restart the war. There was no telling if this was all a ploy set up by Azazel, but it was better that this was kept from escalating to war, even if we had to blind ourselves purposely to continue living in this peace.

Even if it was unlikely that the two of them, the supposed Throneyah and Caraviel whose remains weren't even available to properly analyse or allow for proper identification, to have been working under orders; it was far more likely to have been independent work given the small excursion.

There was rumours of a third body found, however the church had already moved to claim it meant there was no chance that would learn of any of it for many years.

On the benefits that came from the intrusion by the youkai faction was that it appeared we had a secret benefactor who gave us a free pass to return home to alter the course of this 'could-have-been' crisis.

Whomever 'Rory-sama' was to the little princess and her regal mother, she held a significant prestige if her words alone were able to sway a decision that otherwise would not have been pacified without our execution for damnable crimes against the agreements made between our factions.

The obvious pedigree required to make such a potentially catastrophic request was near celestial, which meant that this Lady must be on par with a goddess at the very least. While the Youkai and Shinto were two different factions, and ones that had historically been at war in the past with many heroes of the Shinto gods slaying some of the most terrifying warriors deemed as monsters, it was well known that their mutual cooperation had been on friendlier terms since the reunification of the state during the Sengoku period.

Though this was only a feeling expressed by a majority according to the histories. Rogues were the same as in any faction, and strays were also common to find everywhere you looked.

I drew many red strings that brought me back to Kuoh, and more specifically to the island of Oyashi itself. The benefactor who ensured our release had connections to this place if they were putting so much trust in us and our ability to pacify the situation here. That could only mean she was a local deity, if she was

Only one name came up that was remotely similar to the name the nine year old kitsune princess gave us to work with;

Irori. The kami of the hearth.

A local deity, with a name that seemed to be attached to a great many things in this town alone, even the newest of nine districts was named after her supposed birthplace to the south west. Rias' Queen had made use of her abandoned shrine in Old Kuoh as a home abroad, and would likely serve as her residence for the entirety of Rias' governance of this region persisted.

Rias didn't at all mind having to stay behind. On the contrary; she was given as gilded tour of the manga museum courtesy of Kyoto's Queen per benefits as a plus one when travelling with the city's princess. I would like to say that I was not jealous, but I was more concerned with so much close and personal time had been wasted with a tour that could have been enriched in conversation. But, perhaps it was for the best.

There were few literature on the legends of the kami on this island, mostly oral, but from the research I was collectively gathering since two days before, most of which portray a benevolent deity. Two pictures of similar make with a comparative black hair in one and a violet white in another that has been decided as being washed out over the years.

The story that drew me in, was a tale about her calling the allies of Oyashi Gokutaro to the battlefield when he found himself ambushed at the Daisen Strait. Supposedly creating a land bridge to bring them from the Oyashi Island to the main land of Yamato in time to win the battle. Though, a conflciing account says it was a bridge of ships that the army charged across, but the divine intervention in present regardless of which story you read.

It was this Irori who most likely also with great fates brought the [Red Dragon Emperor] to rescue our peerages from near destruction at the hands of a single fallen. While I believe that the Longinus wielder was acting out of self-interest, it was rather unlikely they would choose to attack a fallen and spare our peerages without some form of guidance, which is where our mysterious goddess plays her hand conveniently well.

Hmm. Maybe too convenient, but then again I must conceded that as a devil, the ideals held behind the potential of 'Deus ex Machina' eludes myself easily.

But regardless of whether it was true that a goddess had played out her hand in saving all of our lives, the secret arrival of the Longinus wielder had been on my mind just a frequently. Even if it was Irori calling him to our aid, the account from our servants do not allow my thoughts to make sense of his intensions.

Since the death of the previous [Red Dragon Emperor] was recorded nearly seventeen years ago, this was the first definitive sighting of his successor. The most logical idea was that he was local, not to this island, but just to this region in a broad sense. A native of Japan. However, surely there would have been many people who would have sensed his power a great many miles away if he was local.

I was certain that either one of us would have been able to sense such power, or at the very least another faction would have come to claim him. Or, perhaps announce that they have destroyed him years ago.

'Who are you, [Red Dragon Emperor]?'

I had further suspicions. But, I would keep them to myself. At least, until I had the evidence to support my ideas.

* * *

The following Monday after the incident. School resumed as normal despite what had happened to everyone. Including I, **Hyoudou Issei**.

"Nimura-san appears to be adjusting well. Even if it did cost her life to reach this state, I think she will be ok from now on."

To my left, it was Yuuto was keeping me updated on the situation with the newest addition to the Sitri peerage. Despite having been there by pure accidental means, Nimura had inevitable got herself caught up in our world's most easily fractured armistice, and paid the price for it with her own life.

Though the resurrection had been successful, and she had adjusted abnormally quickly to the fact that she was no longer human, there was other factors that still hadn't been considered. Still, it remained unclear to all of us how such a large event had been so easily swept aside despite the commotion that had come of it.

The Fukukaichou and her entire peerage had fabricated an easily plausible story about a student who turned terrorist upon the school, which resulted in damage and injury to many people who were present on the day.

Thank the Maou she also had the foresight to keep the media off our backs with interviews by falsifying a police report that purposely hid our identities. And, the added incentive of a simple favour to a certain, but I wasn't not allowed to speak of that any further. Nor whom among us secured the deal.

No one was able to question the logic in bombing a school on a Saturday, but an underachieving student who was supposedly one of the top in his year with what appeared to be a collection of fanatical radicalisation links on a computer as well as war propagating imagery pasted across the walls in the location he had been residing in for the past six months.

I do not need to confirm nor deny the existence of such 'evidence'. All that anyone would remember was the Kuoh Academy bombing of October 2007 by one Sakuyama Daiki. And, nothing more. As uncommon as it was in Japan, it was plausible enough to be a fact.

The injuries we all endured were still visible everywhere, and given our ability to heal. However, for the sake of the injuries that we couldn't simply fix in a single day due to conserving many depleted demonic magic reserves, it was up bandages and a couple of casts to hold cover.

The magic we managed to save by only fixing the irreparable on Sunday also provided decent evidence of an attack on the school thanks to the fallen's excessiveness for creating explosions.

We already had the alibi to our injuries, and yet the Fukukaichou insisted that we all were still able to continue attending school.

I came in covered in bandages from head to toe, a neck brace and several plasters over my face and hands to cover the scratches and burns. Yuuto was with a cast over his right leg and a slight for his left arm along with the bandages.

It's very much the same for all the girls who were caught up in the attack, but it would be rude to continue going into detail. But, from what little damage I had seen from Momo who was only covered in a few plasters on her temple and cheeks, there were some more minor than others.

"I'm sorry."

I held my head low. My face wasn't pressed into the desk, but I was almost burying them in my crossed arms laid out in front of me. Despite aiming my voice at Yuuto, I didn't look straight at him when I said it so it took him time before he realised it was him I was talking to.

"For what, the outburst? All behind us. I hardly think you need to apologise to me about this. How are your shoulders doing?"

I was tempted to show my limited manoeuvrability by swivelling my shoulders, but then I remembered how painful it was doing so. Even sleeping on them was enough to awaken the hounds of the Naberios clan.

I lightly tapped the bandaging, gritting my teeth a little and flinching my hand before I performed the act a second time.

"Sting. Your face?"

"I'll be better in a few days. Just have to keep the bandages on a little longer. And do I need to ask on the subject to the other wounds?"

"They ache. I feel stiff, and it is really annoying to move around."

"I would have thought you would have had an emergency vial of {Phoenix Tears} on you somewhere in your apartment at least. You must have been given a bunch of those things as a leaving gift, right?"

I formed a left cheek pulling smile that closed up my left eye with a half formed grin. It wasn't a fully formed truthful expression, but it was better than trying to pull off a lie with a drooping long face to support it.

"It only closes wounds; fatigue, blood loss, internal regeneration and everything related can't be so easily fixed with ingesting a drop of saline fluid. Plus, you think I could afford one on my wages? They're not exactly cheap you know."

I had made a joke out of the conversation, but the real truth was that; yes, I did have one. One. I chose not to take anymore, but Lady Ravel had insisted that I have at least one on me for safe keepings.

I had used it previously, the first of a few times when I was thirteen; it had been the same day I stranded myself at home. My old home. The stray devil attacked me and I ended up with a dislocated left shoulder and injuries to my whole body. It was more than just magic, it was a demonic miracle in a small glass vial.

I had spoken previously about that taste. So welcoming. And the success of its treatment is so well documented and displayed that the price for one of those 10 ml vials could buy out an entire County's worth of land whether it was plentiful or not. Only in wartime did martial law implement a price reduction, _for the good and preservation of devilkind_.

But, I learned the horrible truth behind its creation the day after Lady Ravel turned thirteen years. The day after I had been officially traded unto her care.

I remember her being brought to a similar room where we had incited my reincarnation ritual. Her father, Lord Rivalen lead on, while I followed her in tow. Her brother, all three of them were there to witness, as well as her paternal grandfather, the former [Marquis of Phenex], Lord Azuklon.

There wasn't much to describe Lord Azuklon, except that he was very much an older and more aged clone of his successor. He wore a hood, which meant his face was barely visible, but his form was more arched as a repercussion of the toll taken to his body after many years of ruling as Lord. His most prominent feature was his missing left hand that had been taken from his in its entirety to the bon by the angel Aniel.

Though he had lost a hand, Aniel had lost his life essence as a result with tangling with the former lord, so the trade-off had been a fair one.

Standing in the centre of this large carved circle, engraved with the symbol of the Phenex clan, bearing in her hands the sacred cup made of iron pyrite where the tears would fall from her face and into its basin. The cup itself was not integral to the creation of the tears, however the symbolic touch was a reinforcement of the bearings to the process of creating these miraculous elixirs;

The golden colour was synonymous to the golden yellow unique to the Phenex clan, reflecting their closed family magic {Regeneration} as the only viable source in which to replicate this formulae. The alloy of iron was a symbol of strength, where iron is bonded to other metals to transform a string metal on its own into an even stronger alloy, and the sulfur with its highly combustible properties reflected the clan's natural affinity to fire.

But perhaps the most symbolic of this metal was in its other more common moniker as "Fool's gold"; the tears themselves were a king's treasure to all other clans and users of its properties. But to the Phenex family who bore the ability of {Regeneration}, it was completely worthless in their eyes. Where other devils saw ruby shaded diamonds, the Phenex clan saw a colourless gem that might as well be a shard of glass for all it was worth.

I do not remember the exact words that were said in that room, and I was also sworn into secrecy to preserve the recipe in their creation process. I didn't realise the purpose of my being here when this was never going to be a technique I could ever hope of learning. That was until I bore witness to the real workings with the ritual; the process of forcing the tear from the host.

A pain with no visible marks that will not show any permanent scars. The wound to seal the tear with a small dosage of {Regeneration} required it to be an emotional one. A dagger on the soul to force the eyes to lacrimate, and then it falls and bounces into the cup where it settles until it is moved into a glass cage and corked atop to prevent its escape.

Cold, emotionless tears. That was the secret of {Phenex Tears}. You create pain to shed a tear, but the tear itself is void of anything that holds any meaning or sentimental value. It wasn't like a crocodile tear, which was a selfish liquidation wielded like a guilty weapon, but an empty drop of water that was not meant to reflect its indiscriminate nature.

The reason for this was simple; a tear shed for someone, a specific someone, would only work to heal them alone. If her tears had been drawn to the thoughts of a single person, the tear would be a useless swivel of salinised water, and it would then lose any potential worth it had if there had been a buyer for it. It simply wouldn't heal them. Which meant that for these tears to be a universal and unbiased product, its source of emotional strife must belong to no one.

Whether I wished to attribute the feeling of my own soul being ripped and stabbed as a repercussion of our souls being eternally tied by the evil pieces she had connected the two of us with only a day before this event. I think this was maybe why I had been brought to witness her first ritual as well. The pain that was rife in this dungeon was real. Had I not been present, then this viper ensnaring my and hemo-intoxicating my innards with its poisoned fangs would have been an unknown shock to the body with no source to attribute it to.

What I was feeling was lesser than what I felt being translated over as a part of the bond created by my Evil Pieces. That anguish on her face as her cheeks jerked to crush her eyes. The shaking in her knees as she wanted to fall over and curl to her side. An invisible metal cord that was tightening like a noose around her navel and her neck to forceful choke it up. I could not describe anymore.

Two words; soul-crushing.

When at last that tear was shed, it fell like a solid piece of metal which just dropped rather than slowly trail from her cheek, almost bouncing as it sailed through the air. It fell with a splash as it became liquid again that resonated though the metal cup. And then, it was poured into a glass bottle to conclude the process.

I swore, that I would never allow her to waste another like that on me. The thought of using it made my guts curl in rejection despite the addict's lingering temptation attempting to conduct my lips and tongue to surrender again to that almost irresistible flavours that heal the body. I etched that promise upon my memories, that I would rather bite my one tongue and drown in my blood than force her to shed such a horrid tear for my sake. I didn't wish to burden it upon her.

That same vial sits buried in a suitcase I took with me but never to be unpacked.

"I said it was in the Past. But, may I ask why you reacted as strongly as you did?"

My thought returned to the present when Yuuto asked me that question. Unlike with my previous answer, my open opinion on the matter fell like a book being flicked through its pages by a gust of wind. I withheld no secret about my distaste for the Fukukaichou's decision, but I felt my reasoning had been left largely in the dark.

I fiddled with my fingers a while, wiggling them while alternating which of them would press against their opposite counterpart while my wrist remained connected at all times. It was my time to open up to the thoughts that had been eating inside of me since I heard of the decision.

"When I was reincarnated into a Pawn, it was my choice. I chose to accept the piece and become a devil. That's just how it was. Seeing her being-, seeing Nimura-san being made into a devil after she was already dead. It was li-. It wasn't her choice. That's what was bugging me the whole time."

I couldn't explain myself well, but it was fundamentally down to perspective that I had disagreed with the choice made two nights before.

"You didn't agree with Shitori-fukukaichou's decision?"

I rubbed my eyes into my knuckles as I lifted my fact from my desk and instead raised it with my arms forming an arch to act like a stool.

"I know and I understand her reasons. She didn't allow her to die. She wasn't even there. None of us were aware that this would have happened, and I can't exactly blame her for having so limited an option left. But, she wasn't the only party involved. If she had still been alive, or even just conscious on the verge of dying. At least, she could have made the choice. That's all I have to say."

"You're upset that the choice was out of her hands. That perhaps death should have been left as the ending, even if it was a bad one."

When he put it like that, it wasn't so much that I thought she would have preferred staying dead or that having already been killed that she shouldn't have-

I couldn't really convey to him just how . . . unnatural it seemed. Raising the dead. It was like wavering slave contract over one who didn't have a choice in the matter. It wasn't the same as I thought a conduct between a devil and potential peerage member should have been. It was a deal made by signatories. It looked more like claiming ownership over a person with no say in the matter.

If, _and it was a big if_ , that had been me. Every time I thought about that, I thought about what may have happened if th-, Nimura-san had been me. If I was the one who was killed while still human. If someone had reincarnated me against my will, or even worse allowed me to get killed then swoop in to snatch me up while I was struggling to grab any straw to save my life.

All those through struck me like lightning and I felt much colder than the loss of blood had drained from my veins and arteries just looking at the scene.

If I couldn't even explain that to Yuuto, then my only other option was to just put on a brave a smile and pretend that it was nothing that needed to be shown concern. I did just that like a coward, but I felt at the time that it was probably for the best that I buried the remains of my complaints and insecurities and wore a mask to hide it behind as not to affect the mood of those around me anymore.

"I was human once you know, it was just an overreaction. I'm sorry if I got you worried about me like that."

He waved his hand of the conversation. "Don't worry about that. I think this the first time I actually learned something personal about you, Issei."

I snorted humourful to his comment. "Unlike me, who still thinks of you like an enigma. I don't even know your real name."

He looked at me a little confused, but he quickly realised I was largely being sarcastic and less than serious despite it being truthful.

"What do you mean? Kiba Yuuto is my real name. I have no other name. I no longer hold to-."

He was interrupted by a loud voice coming from the front entrance to our homeroom. While it was a shouting tone, nor was it made with any rudeness or malice, and neither did any of the conversation aim at either of us directly. But the conversation that took place seemed to placate all over discussions in the room that suddenly caught both of our interests.

"Hey there. If you are here to see Kiba-kun, then you are going to have to schedule an appointment with the club president at her headquarters."

Our class representative, and also the director for the fan club dedicated and devoted to Yuuto, Mikoto Shizuka, was taking affirmative action, and she was especially strict on the girls that often tried to enter the classroom. Most of them, of course, were after a look from their prince charming.

Don't get me wrong that the two of us found this daily intrusion to the classroom as annoying as the rest of the class. However, it seemed more like a territorial game like Risk or Nobunaga's Ambition when it came to the girls in this school.

It was pretty daunting, and even scary at times just how uniformed these girl were. Even the many who were not even practitioners of combat sports were quite deadly when their gazes were on the people who arrive at the wrong time.

I never understood how Yuuto could just continue to whip up a signature smile and move on, but that was the luck he seemed to possess. It was comforting knowing I had the ultimate pacifier only a foot away from where I studied every day.

"Up the stairs, second floor and to the-"

"Actually, I'm here for Hyoudou Issei."

'Wait?' My ears pricked up at the sound of my own name. I had been barely listening to their conversation through no fault of my own. Enhanced hearing and all. But I was suddenly entrenched into it.

'Me?'

That wasn't true. Unlike the Casanova sitting to my left, no one ever came to this classroom to see me. I know it was the first year and all, but it simply wasn't done. He was the one all the girls in our year and years above every wanted to see. At best, I was second but that may have been generous since I was always sitting next to him. Unless they were a devil, I never interacted with another girl.

Unlike for Yuuto, the class representative downgraded her initial stance from a tiger to an origami tiger the moment she heard this girl was looking not for Yuuto, but for myself.

"Oh, for Hyoudou-san. Well, he's at the desk next to Kiba-kun."

"Thank you."

I didn't see her enter, but as soon as she was in the classroom, the girls started parting to make a path between her and myself, and that was when I realised who had come to pay me a visit. Ut it didn't make me feel at all relaxed;

Brown hair clearly visible in the underside of her hair, while on top was a lighter more silvery blonde colour. Amber eyes, but those were hidden behind a pair of glasses I didn't know she needed, which made them look darker than I thought as I compared the visual image with the one in my memory.

Her hair was held back by a headband just over the top of her forehead that kept it from falling in front of her face, and there were definitely a few strands behind her head that had been cut shorter than most which reached just before her shoulders.

Apart from that, the only thing different was that she was wearing the Kuoh girl's uniform. There was no mistaken who had come to visit me this morning of all times. There would only be one girl in this school who would rather approach me when I was sitting next to the most popular boy in the school;

The exorcist from the woods.

My unease was not settled by the sight of her. The friend is only a friend when they are the enemy of a common enemy. There was no such enemy here anymore. Only old enemies and animosities.

"See. There are girls that are interested in faces like yours."

"Considering she's with the church, I think she likes my face to be mantled on her walls like a hunting trophy."

Unlike us of the devil faction, her posture and walking didn't seem to be hindered at all, neither did her arms look bandaged. Though, as I took a glance towards her hip where she took a serious injury, there was an obvious bump where there must have been either a patch or a pack that was now been wrapped to her side by several loops of bandaging.

I could also see that her breathing appeared to be hindered slightly as her movements were slower, although I couldn't absolutely certain that this was all attributed to this injury.

She eventually approached my desk, but she stood to the side separating each desk rather that directly in direct face in front of me. Her hands covering each other, but hanging slight to her right as if to loosen the bindings a little beneath her shirt.

What concerned me more than her posture, was how meekly she spoke when talking to me in front of everyone.

"Hyoudou Issei."

"Um, yes? Miss . . . ?"

"Blumhardt. H . . . Hanna Blumhardt."

'Hanna Blumhardt?' I though after hearing her name. 'Well, at the very least I can stop calling her simply 'exorcist' now.'

Whether it was an act to hide her true nature or her true self in the face of a crowd, it mattered very little that I remained suspicious of her coming to homeroom the day school returned for the week. And so early in the day of all times too.

"Blumhardt-san. May I help you with something?"

Her eyes darted as she watched everyone in the room. But, I couldn't decide if she was anxiously shy and embarrassed, or if her motive was to keep notes on the movements of the others in the room. But with only myself and Yuuto the only devils in the room, as Momo was with the Student Council, surely there was no need for such caution

Especially if she had managed to obtain and track me by name. A name _I never gave her_.

"May I . . . please talk to you someplace that is private?"

I winced my eyes, but I was certain to hide my suspicions under a comely smile. Or, at the very least I hoped that my acting would be enough to convince the classroom that this was a civil discussion.

I knew the dangers in taking her up in this offer. Meeting with the church. She wouldn't be so brazen surely if she didn't have a backing plan. A trap. No, that was not possible surely. Especially if the two clan heiresses were back, would it really be worth risking such an unstable armistice by killing a low level servant.

Something wasn't adding up. But, I wasn't likely to find out if I didn't accept this offer. At the very least, even should I have been killed, there was little chance I was going to let them get away unscathed, even with injuries such as those I had on me that day.

"Yes. Certainly."

She turned and started to walk out the classroom, as I pushed my chair from my desk and ten walked around it to follow behind her. I kept my eyes and ears focused less on my surroundings with the inevitable low-voiced speaking that was beginning to build up.

I just had to remember to watch my back before speaking to Miss Blumhardt about . . . _outside affairs_. Not exactly good if a nosing snoop caught wind of whatever was being spoken of that needed to be kept between just us.

And . . . maybe even from the other devils also if needed.

Yuuto grabbed my arms as I walked in front of his desk. He pulled me in, which every girl in the room caught on to as they watched his actions like he was someone from Hollywood, or more specifically like the foreign prince they interpreted him to be.

It didn't escape my ears the small rumours that had been floating about how the girls viewed our 'closeness as friends'. Need I delve further?

"You know that this probably a trap, right?"

He whispered it to my ear, but it could have been better accomplished whispering lower further way to avoid this unnecessary scene he was creating around us.

"I already knew that" I answered. "But, if she wanted to kill me, should wouldn't have made herself publicly known to have lured me out moments before my dead body is discovered."

His eyes resigned themselves, but his voice remained concerned. He eventually released my arm after detailing his plan in case the situation went awry.

"I guess you're right. Just . . . watch your back. I am going to have to notify Shitori-fukukaichou of this, but I wouldn't try pushing yourself after those injuries you endured."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Yuuto."

He sat back down at his desk, while I used this momentary air of relief to quickly manoeuvre my way through the class. I didn't really wish to think what the rest of the girls in the class were going to be spreading around after Yuuto made what they would be considering a 'direct advance' on me.

I shudder at how much scarier human girls can be compared to monster that you just beat to a pulp if they get aggressive. Girls have words that can do more harm than any sharpened claw or teeth can hope to penetrate, which doesn't help when the ratio for the year alone was 11:1 on a median across the entire age group.

I will not detail the long and boring walk through the school, but our meeting place took up into the woodland that separated the new school building from the old one. I would have pointed out the dangers in getting this close to the base of operations of the second devil King over the first, however, the insecurity of this meeting kept me at ease knowing that in front and behind were places I could take refuge if things went sour.

I had to be wary not to expose myself still, or at least, that was what I believed;

"Are . . . you feeling ok."

It was a casual question I asked her, but she didn't think of it as such. After having been carried back to her home, and the shock of waking up with my shirt over her torso instead of her own, this would have been the ample time to slap me across the face if this had been made in animation.

The reality of it was more civil than that. Or, at least physically civil at the bare minimum.

"Apart from the apparent stench of having had a devil walk around my room and leaving me . . . _an offering_ on my table, I am still very capable. I am perfectly suited and committed to defending myself in the future, as well as taking heed to my own injured self. I think you look more battered than I was in that battle. I'm surprised you even took your health out of account and came back."

While the insults may have been a bit excessive, I felt more at ease speaking to this more plain speaking Blumhadt than I was with the publicly shy version of herself that had appeared in homeroom. I could have questioned her about the act in the classroom, but even if she was from the church, it was impolite to pry one's nose into a women's private business. If that was even what I could have excused it as.

"I'm guessing that you didn't just want to talk about exchanging 'thank you's'."

Despite her hair being relatively short, she combed it with her left hand as if it was worthy of Rapunzel's.

"As if I would besmirch my family name by having considered myself indebted to a devil."

"Then this meeting is a moot point. If you're going to kill me, then you really should have considered keeping that a secret, not that I am trying to actively encourage you."

She looked like she was about to bite her tongue off with the way she flicked and curled it so like she wished to introduce non-existent 'l' sounds into my native language. I found it a most . . . I wanted to say entertaining, but it looked pretty unpleasant standing and watching as someone .

I almost bled my own ears with the memory of Lord Riser's first conversation with me in Japanese. I really wished not bog my hearing with something so foul as that again.

"This is . . . an-. I can't put it into words. Japanese is too barbaric a tongue to be used for these kind of conversations."

"Ich spreche Deutsch, du weißt.

(" _I can speak German, you know_.")

With a surname like Blumhardt, and because her inflections in her speech were not recognisable as American or Canadian English, I deduced she was a native speaker of German or at least one of the West Germanic branch languages. I wasn't actually certain whether my words reached to her were actually in German until I observed her speaking a little while after as I wasn't fluent nor could I construct a sentence without the aid of my Evil Pieces.

For the sake of differentiating with her usual Japanese, I did initially think to alter the way she spoke. However, this would have been a gross misrepresentation as even while she was speaking toward me, the only differences that were notable when making conversation had been the apparent change in fluency between how she talked.

I had covered it up previously, but her languages skills were very lacking when it came to Japanese. Her native accent ruined her pronunciation of long syllables without a grasp on viable substitutes, and a few consonant sounds were still incomplete or had a few sounds too strong or extended.

However, if this was the results of only six months learning, then I had to say that it wasn't bad enough that it couldn't be understood, and if needed on a regular basis, it could pass.

The second difference was while I knew what she was saying and understood her completely, her mouth was independent to her voice. What I mean specifically was while her lips and tongue and teeth were all coordinating with her jaw to reproduce her native German, my ears with the aid of my Evil Pieces were hearing her words as Japanese.

For example; when she is saying _ich_ (I), which stretches her cheeks while baring her teeth to make the 'i' sound, I head the syllabary _wa_ as in _watashi_ with an open jaw and rounded lips. I never noticed how harsh it was watching and listening two different forms of communication. I felt a little nauseated as my eyes kept being drawn towards watching how inconsistent her fascial movements didn't match to how she sounded.

When it came to Deftodiz, it was different; I had gotten used to speaking that even when I use my Evil pieces to translate unfamiliar words, I don't notice it as much, and even when I recall it, I don't even remember there being a difference when I replay the sequences in my mind.

I guess it is like watching a foreign film with subtitles for so long that when you think back to automatically translate the words into the speech rather than remembering the speech and subtitles as two different filters.

"Very well. I will cut to the chase then. I wish to pick your brain if you are willing."

"Church business?"

She nodded, but that should have been unsurprising that this wasn't in anyway a friendly conversation between two different beings who only formed a formally cooperation to save their own hides on the one occasion not too long ago. As I also recall, I didn't even know she existed despite having been at school for a little over six months.

"Does the name [Red Dragon Emperor] ring any sort bell?"

I honestly shouldn't have been surprised. I have no doubt that there were more of the church's spies lurking somewhere in these parts. No doubt she had already heard of this from them and was now

Why was I the obvious choice to interrogate? My King was absent. Maybe too easy of a reason for which to single me out, but with the injuries all the devils who had been present had sustained, the Kings of the Gremory and Sitri peerages were obviously looking a little more cautiously over their respective groups, which left me as the apparent weak link.

It was only speculation though.

"Yes. I believe he was the guy who defeated those two fallen angels that attack us and you last week. I didn't see him do it, but from everyone else's accounts, I have to believe them."

"Then detail what happened after I was unconscious, . . . please."

'Please?'

In all my years, I would never have seen this coming; the day that one whom should have been counted among my mortal enemies asking not just for assistance, but doing so politely.

My options now were limited, though I could very well have just refused to answer a single question she pressed in front of me. I considered that choice, and almost put forth the gall to step away, but I then refused my own request on the basis of propagating the events that may unfold later;

I had thought at the time, that stepping away and not answering would have been the more natural of choices to consider, but then I thought on it longer and then I realised how much more there would if she didn't receive her answers now. She would press more firmly and without courtesy most likely. The consensus that she was asking I of all beings was noteworthy toward the idea that there was no one else within her own group that could surrender the answers to her. This was little less than desperation, but further defences against resolving ignorance was match ready to spark, and what may have followed could have been worse than my obvious choice toward this matter.

I weighed the option of giving in an account. Not the account, but enough of a detailed diary entry that it would be better than nothing to report back and cite if needed than using nothing at all if this is what she wanted. She didn't exactly have anything to compare it with, and with that in mind, what every lies I spun into the truth had to undoubtedly considered the facts whether she knew so or not.

That was what I thought.

"The fallen angel attacked me instead, figuring you were probably going to die regardless after taking such a serious blow to the head. I'm ashamed to say that I wouldn't have lasted against him without you, so I got very careless. I was on my knees with a spear to my neck, about to lose my head and the majority of neck along with it. I remember a flashbang or something similar, then a sudden force crashed over me, and then I too was out of it. By the time I was awake, the fallen was dead or rather he was non-existent and he, the dragon, was already there. He flew off towards the east, and that was all that happened. Oh, and I took you home but you know that part."

Her eyes closed over for a minute, racking round her thoughts while I watched on a little perplexed, before she opened them again to assert one final question upon me.

"So, you claim to have no such affiliation with him?"

I nodded. "Yes."

Her face leaned in. "Are you absolutely certain of this? The absolute truth?"

Her instance was almost petrifying; her head edging almost dangerously close. It appeared odd to me at the time why she would have done this, as if to stick her head closer to the lion's jaws despite having only been friendly on one occasion out of convenience of the situation.

Unafraid of being snapped? Was I no longer this incarnation of evils wrapped in a human-shaped fleshbag?

Nevertheless, I reaffirmed my answer.

"Yes. I am.

There was a brief pause, and then six words followed from her mouth with sharp disposition that I was almost caught so unprepared that her next actions would catch my surprise before I could acknowledge I had allowed it to be seen.

"Then, I brand you a liar."

She whipped her hand from her pocket, and in her grip she grasped a small piece of paper. Upon which, there was an image. A photograph.

It didn't take long before the overwhelming use of red ink determined the creation caught by the camera; it was a picture taken of myself in full scale mail, but more importantly, of my moment of reflex. Directly in view was not my face, but of my visor, with the back my left hand exposed.

My eyes widened, and my jaw slackened a little at what I saw. Not to the image of the red metal knight with nothing discernible about that could easily be dismissed as unrecognisable. But to the one area where the image was not entirely of reddish tones and shades even in such a dark room where it was captured.

What the camera had caught was the back of my left hand. What caught me most surprisingly was the appearance of the seal of the Phenex clan clearly displayed in the photo.

There was no other way of ignoring that inconspicuous golden yellow circle captured within the frame. This was the first instance that having that mark horrified me.

There was no longer anyway of excusing myself.

I was found out.

"I want to hear all of the truth now, [Roter Drachenkaiser]."

* * *

 _A best laid scheme gone._

 _With three deaths, and one rebirth,_

 _no one could have seen._

 _The dragon within pleased,_

 _to have shown his full fury_

 _and tasting the spoils._

 _What does that matter?_

 _Unforeseeable, now that_

 _My secret is out._

* * *

 **Omake XIII: What Happened Last Chapter?**

 **Akeno:** (dressed in fell S &M, _see Volume 15, Life 4: Lets Go with Training! ~Hell Chapter~ and Illustration 4_ ) Arara. It's been more than two weeks and you still didn't get the chapter out. Did you, you naughty boy?

 **Alek:** (twirling around upside down, still wrapped in chains) _I am terrified, but strangely aroused_. (realising the omake has started) I said that out loud didn't I.

 **Akeno:** Ufufu (says nothing else for a while, but then she starts rolling up her whip) Well, I think that over two month is very bad. Very bad indeed. First, I will have you go through all those reviews, and then . . . (says nothing else, but grabs his chin) . . . then the punishment begins. But you have to make it quick. Delay again and it will only last longer. _Unless that's what you want of course_. Arara. Ufufu.

 **Alek:** (a piece of paper reaches his face, then turns convenient upside down) This is going to be the shortest review section I have done since the beginning (realises what he just said). I meant in terms of number of reviews read out. (clears his throat);

『 **To User:AcclaimingTR:** Thank you.

 **To User:grimjack:** 1)I get better, I swear I'm trying to improve. 2) I did warn you.

 **To User:taifik90:** Oh, believe, you're not the first.

 **To User:snowyassassin:** I have already apologised, and I have seriously cut back.

 **To User:darth56:** Aww, shucks. Thank you as well.

 **To User:percy_zoe_and_artemis_fan:** 1) Thanks. 2) Thanks again. 3) Seriously, I only had two bits of 'thanks' and I wasn't expecting such a rush. Have an 'I appreciate it' instead.

 **To User:ichika_aono:** 1) Thank you for your open minded approach. 2) I know, and she still hasn't given it back ;'(

 **To User:mineng101:** Thank you for your complete honesty at the very least.

 **To Guest:** I can't answer everything you have written, but I thank you for your time.

and **to User:WarsmithDantioch:** Thank you so very much for your kinds words. I was sorely in need of them to get this finished.』

(visibly sweating after finishing) C-Can I come down now? My head is filling like a balloon full of blood.

 **Akeno:** (smiles but says nothing) . . .

 **Alek:** (sweat drops) I take it that's a no. (to the readers) Well, there is little much to say except I will try to get out here, but until then, this is good bye.

 **Both:** Bye-bye!

 **Alek:** (rolls his eyes towards Akeno) Sooo, will you consider loosening this noose a little. I'm getting a little itchy and I promise I won't try to escape or anything.

 **Akeno:** (cover her mouth) Ufufu. It's funny how you think that I would. Besides, you still have another chapter to turn out before I will consider it.

 **Alek:** (deadpanned while now swinging side to side as the whips starts stretching out) I thought as much.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'AcclaimingTR',** **'grimjack',** **'taifik90',** **'snowyassas1n',** **'darth56',** **'percy zoe and artemis fan',** **'ichika aono', 'mineng101',** **'Guest (1)', and 'WarsmithDantioch' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **Last one coming up (when it's done, *gulp*), and then the canon timeline will be reached at last, I swear. So enjoy the wait. Or not.**

 **Well, until next time everyone. Bye!**


	14. The Meeting

**The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release. Have any of you seen the teaser for High School DxD Hero yet? Though looking at the redesigns, I am feeling really iffy toward it right now. The animation change is not to my cup of tea, but I'll give it chance for a few episodes. Alright then, here we go again.**

* * *

"I want to hear all the truth now, [Roter Drachenkaiser]."

There was just a long gust of wind after I, **Hanna Blumhardt** , took the photograph from my pocket and showed my evidence. This devil, the one who called himself Hyoudou Issei, lied straight to my face. It should not have come a surprise. A lie was as natural as breathing for his kind. The only plausible answer was that if he claimed that he didn't know the [Red Dragon Emperor] and that from my picture showing the devil Phenex's mark, it must have been him behind the armour.

No one else would lie so hard unless they were unwittingly being targeted. Not even a devil was too prideful to hide anyone else unless they didn't wish their own secrets coming to life. If it were anyone else he knew, he would have said it was an ally. That was my logic.

It was probably the most ridiculous decision I had made in my career as an exorcist for four years now after completing my initial training in Munich. There would be many people I had the pleasures and displeasures of teaming alongside who would have told me that keeping a blade to his neck while interrogating him would have been the best advice and the only way to extort information from a denizen of Hell.

Chopping his limbs was also an option; it saved having to worry about instant retaliation, however there would then be a time limit before his black soul passed over. I had seen a few bite their own tongues just to kill themselves off and keep their secrets. In their defence, suicide was probably a one way ticket back to Hell for them, so no wonder many chose that option.

I could hear him grinding his teeth, and his face clenching forward after he had looked at it in total awe. I expected to see serrated fangs appear passed his lips when next he spoke, but there were none.

"How many people know?"

His eyes were shrinking, like some predatory reptile. Fitting since he was both a devil and a dragon. Both equally snake-like, but only one was a compulsive liar.

"The pastor in this region knows. He is a stronger man than I, even wiser as well."

I didn't need to say any more than that. Wasting too much breath to explain things would only open a path for verbal misdirection. One of the key tactics in fighting devils was that they liked to talk. They were proficient in it. It was their chief abilities, their talents. I wasn't going to easily allow myself to be caught wondering down a path of words.

I had a spare hand ready to reach for a small knife made of silver in case his beastly instincts overtook him. As if I would be so green as to confront a devil without the smallest of armaments. And unlike the sorry state he appearance gave off, a few scratches were not going to hinder my physical abilities.

Not even the side wound to my hip was bad so long as I avoided stretching it too far, despite such an ugly scar marked by his cauterizing.

Although, I did worry that his bandages were just a ruse. I didn't put it passed him as the time.

"Why confront me first?" he asked, but his eyes were staring at the photograph until it vanished back into my pockets. I waited for him to grab it, so that he could lose the hand that dared, but he seemed to have some self-restraint.

"It's not as if it was my choice."

He shifted himself with his arms crossed. If it wasn't for the fact he was taller than I was, I would have pointed how obvious he was looking down on me.

"What is it you want then?"

"The right choice."

It meant nothing to him. But I was doing just as I said; while I hadn't been assigned to the Father for very long, I respected that his wisdom and strength was something to consider if I wasn't inclined to obey. He obviously wanted me to make this talk, so I was willing to do just that.

The only difference was that I couldn't stop this [Red Dragon Emperor] from being a monster, considering he already was one.

His eyebrow rose.

"Answers then?"

I simply nodded my head, but I could feel my hand getting itching with anxiety.

He started moving around. Not very far around, I managed to keep him tailed even if it was just a couple of steps and he was aware that I would not let him leave. It was dangerous to corner a dangerous beast, but I was willing to kill him before he tried anything in a last ditch effort.

At least, that was what I told myself, but my itchy hand may have said something else to that matter.

His head looked around in the forest line, and then he approached as if to walk past me. I stood guard, but then his face was next to my ear.

"Not here though" he whispered. "There are ears here."

I jumped away cuffing my ear. The condensation from his breathe still fresh to my skin that it

He looked at me with utter confusion, one cheek burying his right eye, while his left eyebrow ascended his forehead.

"When then? And where?"

He turned and pointed north or north-west with his left index finger.

"Next Saturday. I'll be in Old Kuoh. In the cemetery to the west side. We will talk there."

His face looked back, but there was no obvious sign of hiding his expression. It was just a blank face, without happiness or anger.

"At what time?"

He dropped his arm and then started walking back toward the main school building. There was still at least five, maybe ten more minutes before the first lessons started, but the bell hadn't even issued a warning just yet.

"I'll wait all day" he replied whilst he started moving. "Unless something comes up, of course. But, I will be there again if I need to leave on urgent business."

"How do I know you won't just ambush me when I arrive?"

He didn't stop, even when he eventually replied before he was too far away to speak to without shouting.

"You don't. Even I don't."

He left before I could say in another word. I was unsettled by his last words. He gave no indication to trust him if I took it literally. But devils were always liars, so I was trying to decipher the lies within the lies.

It sounds more complicated than it actually was, but talking to people for a while you also watch how certain words are met with actions. Even if you see them doing nothing, there is a forcefulness in doing nothing that can catch your eye. A blank expression. Stiffness. A pause without breath. You get the picture.

The idea worked very easily on most people. Devils, that was trickier since they weren't humans and therefore you couldn't trust that the actions would be opposite. A truth could be stiff and a lie could be as able as breathing. I had never had the opportunity to enact an analysis on a devil, so I had to work on the inversion of responses theory.

It took me the entire walk to my classroom and sitting down for a minute before I managed to separate his words between the natural and the unnatural. My only problem was now assigning if natural meant truth or discord-

"So, you're not going to say anything about what you just did."

I was jumped unexpectedly. Or, perhaps the proper word was expectantly since the culprit was inevitably one who would intrude on anything to discon- eh, dissect

Kiryuu Aika. After the overly-hormonal mongrels that were two boys in the same class as me of all people, she was already building her own reputation with her own select repertoire of perverseness.

"I did nothing that would warrant your interest."

"The fact you're trying to keep it a secret means it's juicy."

"That's none of your business."

The only reason she would approach anyone was the same as any journalist with a pen in his hand; a story to sell. Although unlike the media employee who needed a pay check every week, Aika-san was only interested in the scoop itself and whether it was worth spreading.

It didn't help that her mind was plagued with demonic thoughts of all manners of lustrous perversity that would make a pagan ritual look tame. Just seeing those pressing brows form evil looking gazes behind pink framed glasses and smile that bared up one side of her mouth, it was enough to incite an image of social fear.

There had only been two other occasions she had approach me, my first was when I first joined the class at the beginning of the year. She was comparing cups sizes, but I was too naïve and inexperienced with the language and it innuendos. I stepped in talking about coffee mugs and tea cups, but she managed to turn it into something quite repulsive before I finally managed to decipher what I was saying.

Darn this language. Darn this country and how it brings up its youth. Darn these perverted- *sigh* never mind.

The second occasion was an incident in the changing room that I will not talk about. I now stay close to the door during these times we must partake in physical education-

. . . Dear lord, please restore my naivety now that I am aware it is broken.

This third time however, would be something that would be branded to my mind whenever I look back on this day;

"Oh, but it is my business" she insisted, seating herself on my desk like she was welcomed there. "When you walk through the whole school with a boy following behind to go where no one else can see, you know that people start talking. Even if it isn't their Prince, other people take notice."

I kept my mouth closed, but my teeth were gritted and grinding together as I tried to hold myself. "I have no idea what you are saying."

She took this to mean that I was still losing something in translation. Sadly, I had lost that card after having to frantically study to keep up my grades in hopes of escaping this class next year. Even if it had been a bump up to class 2-D, then I could feel safer without having to guard myself throughout class with eyes that thought they were being cleverly covert.

If they belonged to demons, they wouldn't have eyes any longer I can assure you of that much.

"I'm sorry, I'll put it into blunter words;"

Her face leaned in as I tried to push it down, but her voice caught my ear. It would be the second time that something unpleasant was forming next to my hearing. Though, even though the first was a devils, I know for a fact that I was reviled more by this one.

"Are you and Hyoudou-san an item?"

The whole world could have turned white that moment, then maybe I wouldn't have stood out so much when that word bomb suddenly landed on me. It took me a moment before I could properly realise what she was saying before the whole ordeal began overheating.

"W-w-what?"

"Oh, sorry: An item. It means, like: Together. Conjoined. In a relationship. Snuggling up together and shar-"

"I know what you said!"

If no one hadn't started taking interest in the conversation, then the noise of me slamming my hands on the desk in protest was sure to start turning a few heads. Even if they were there I didn't notice them with everything that was already steaming.

"So it is true?"

I had to look up again, but now her eyes were hidden by a pair of light shards flashing over her face, and a third reflection coming off a larger smile.

I honestly felt sick to my stomach. Me. And a devil. I could taste breakfast on my tongue again, but my guts were feeling so much tighter. The queasy feeling started making my heart panic. I could feel it trying to escape and run to a hole to hide.

Oh dear Lord, was that what she was thinking? Was that what others were now going to think? I had thought that if I walked and talked without doing any unnecessary physical contact than it might have been just-. On the contrary, it appeared that a meek approach had suddenly flipped it to its other end, and now they're thinking it was the prelude to a confession.

I should have followed my heart and crawl into that same hole.

I did the only thing I could think of, and embarrassingly I flailed my arms and shook my head in high veracity.

"No. Nonononononononononono."

"You can't deny it. Going red like that only means I'm hitting the nail."

It's true that I was getting very hot in the face, but not for the reasons she was implying. The blood that was being shaken in my head was now making everything feel hot, and undoubtedly it was going to turn red.

"I'm red because I'm angry. And I don't love him! I don't even like him! I hate him. I hate his guts!"

"You say you hate him, but come now;" Her hands planted themselves on my desk. "You walked straight into his classroom and asked to talk with him alone. And, you did it in a shy and bashful way without any sort of hostility. Even he didn't seem to hate that gentle way you put it."

"Where the heck are you getting that? I said I hate him. He's the epitome of revilement. He's . . . he's . . . he is a devi-"

I widened my eyes and I slapped my hands over my mouth before I realised what I was about to say.

There was a taboo to involve people outside of the factions, and that meant that revealing the supernatural aspects of our world to them was prohibited under any and all circumstances. Just admitting that one person in this school was a devil was enough to warrant my return back to Germany. At best I could hope for a temporary suspension and house-arrest for half a year. And I said, only at best. I didn't need to think what worse thing could happen.

Though certain magics could be applied and memories could be rewritten, on our side it was considered a great sin to delve into those arts. Our faction as one that aimed to spread divine enlightenment, and to so purposely was against the church's creed. Meaning every word of mine was final and inerasable.

I mentioned worse things, but now I was suddenly

"A devil, you say. Oh-ho-ho. So you've se-"

A half relief and half sickness came over me.

'Say another word and I am going to cleave you, I swear by the Lord's name.'

It was childish to make threats like these even if they were only in my head, but my wits were hanging over the edge and I let my anger get the better if me. Of course, I would never attack an unaffiliated person.

Although, my hand did seem very itchy that day, and I was tempted to simply reach into my pocket there and then.

"He's totally ripped isn't he? The boys have their hole to the changing rooms, but so do the girls. It works both ways and they never even considered it.

Now, I know all the other girls have their pick of the crowd; Kiba- _hiko_ (prince) is your more graceful kind of body, the sensitive boy you take home to meet your parents and they will grovel to their knees begging him to take your hand. You can understand why he's the most of the girl's favourite."

I was aware of who she was speaking of. Another devil, this one a servant to the demon Gremory. Just one of many. He was obviously much better at ensnaring girl's hearts. Though magic was not detectable, it was likely he could be an incubus in human skin which was why all those girls were fauning over him and his every word. I had even made notes that he had a club dedicated solely to observing and preserving him, or something like that. They called it a 'fan club

"But, Hyoudou- _waka_ (young lord). Well, I can't speak for most girls, but he has a 'large back' doesn't he?"

I didn't even want to know what she was talking about. I didn't even want to think more on it.

"Say what you want. But I am telling you for the last time that there is nothing between us. End. Of. Story."

I had thought that my strong words would have finally silenced that . . . well, she-devil is probably the best fitting word despite not being anatomically correct. I said would have, only because I was foolish to assume there was no more ammunition for her to use.

I should have noticed where her hand was travelling when a zip unfurled.

"Oh. But then . . . why is his shirt in your bag?"

The volume of her response was loud enough that suddenly every other conversation in the room was gone. That shirt. That, forgive me lord, damned shirt. Why the heck had I not just burned the darn thing after taking it off of me.

The black fabric hung loosely on her index and middle fingers as if she were waving a flag, and suddenly I found myself swarmed by the class as soon as they heard. I just couldn't find any more words as I suddenly had no more room in which to breathe. There was no denying it, even when it was true. The holes in the shoulders and residual bloodstains, coupled with proof from everyone's eyes that he was bandaged in those areas, there was nothing that could have been done.

I wanted to throw my head through my desk, but the best I could manage was face plant it to the surface and bury it under my arms as the voices started attacking at me like Furies gnawing at my sanity;

"Is it true? Is that really his shirt?"

"How did you get? You are so lucky. He gave it to you?"

"As long as it's not Kiba-kun, I am happy for you."

"Did you see him take it off?"

"Did he leave it behind in your room?"

"That damn bastard! Fuck, why is life so unfair?"

"As if there wasn't already enough competition with Kiba-san. Now, we have to worry about Hyoudou-san too!"

Too many too keep count of. I don't even remember if these were the real ones or ones that my memories fabricated just to continue pestering me. The only one I know definitively was Aika-san's final remark before homeroom concluded.

"You didn't even wash it. Couldn't let go of his scent that you wanted to keep it with you forever."

If I wasn't getting an apology when I next saw him, I was going to kill that darn Devil.

* * *

Monday afternoon. It was approaching evening and school had ended for the day hours before. I, **Sona Sitri** , was finishing up the reports for the day in the student council's room where I always did.

I didn't need to recite how many duties were assigned to me, both as Fukukaichou and also the one who handles the delicate issues of what doesn't officially happen in this town and especially within this school.

Having sorted through the reports made by all of our efforts, including an in depth essay on the further events from Kyoto that Rias and Akeno provided, we had enough to compile something the higher ups back in our homeland would be satisfied with.

'Not my sister though.'

I regretted that this information had to be siphoned through by our guarantors as both Rias and I were still technically underage for governing a territory. But this was the same if we had been learning under the watch of another devil.

I have no doubts in my mind that Serafall was going to freak out over something relatively small to her idea of equivalent retribution. For clarification, she once threatened to blow up half the moon after a rather unexpected lower grade than I was used to showing. I will have to decline going any further than that though, so don't expect me to bring this up again.

Rest assured, I did all I could to minimise anything that would warranty a re-evaluation of our tenure here as underage co-rulers. It was bad enough that our elder siblings had basically gone around the books on our behalf. If there was trouble and we could not prove capable of handling it, then it would be revoked and suspended for many decades. Decades was only if we were lucky. This kind of underhanded abuse of power could very well oust our elder siblings from office.

It would be bad enough if I had to return home with such a mark to my personal history. But, I don't think I would get an opportunity to myself if Serafall were at home all the time.

But, thinking of all the complicated possibilities was never going to finish this work, and I still had to tweak everything and thrice check it over.

"Is this the reports from everyone?" I asked Tsubaki.

With me handling our 'extra-curricular' cases, I had to allocate a few of the lesser tasks unto her. It wasn't an easy task when I had to rewrite several wordings just to keep any issue arising that may threaten our small notion of independence we continued to have here. For Rias' sake more than mine.

"Hai, Sona. The reports of Kiba-san and Toujou-san have been collected. Added to the five reports on our side and the one from Hyoudou-san, what you have is everything."

"Did you get anything from our residing hikomori?"

She shook her head. "I had word passed that his report was sent via e-mail. I'll check again later."

Although Rias' Bishop had not been present, I had to twist her arm to get him to write his own words on the 'situation' that occurred over the weekend. As he was technically still at school, even if he had been unable to see anything, having his words on anything else important was crucial and an immediate necessity.

Sure enough, I opened up the computer screen and logged in. I assumed and I found it eventually, though the document itself was considerably very short. Expected, although I had hoped to see a little more in there. What information that was provided was barely half a page long.

*knock*knock*knock*

There was thrice a knock on the door, but instead of waiting, it opened without hesitation.

"Back at work again, Sona."

Rias was the only one who would simply just walk in while I was busy working. I had expected her to have gone home by now, but it really wasn't my business what she was up to with her own peerage at any hour after school had ended.

"As Vice-President" I told her as I continued to eye at word on papers before me, "I naturally have a lot of work that requires my steady hand."

"Not the President's?"

That tone of voice, I just had to slyly eye her back behind my glasses with that jokingly questioning expression.

"You know fully well."

"Of course."

I knew she wasn't finished with just simply coming on by to check up on me. Knowing Rias, to come to the Student Council's room while I was in the middle of filling through all the work that should have really been shared by the both of us meant that she wanted to pick at my brain.

Obviously this work would be done much faster in my hands than in our collaborative effort, but that was not the point I was trying to come across with. Anyways, neither of that mattered when I was already piecing together her real objective.

I flicked up my right hand, which signalled to Tsubaki to give the two of us the room. It wasn't that having her around was going to be a problem now. On the contrary, having her around would have made me finishing this work a lot easier. But her presence meant that Rias wouldn't say a thing, and having her hover around waiting for a good time to speak was just going to waste my time.

I didn't see my Queen leave the room, but I could hear her papers being gathered and her chair sliding back and forward before her footsteps started walking further to the other side of the room.

When the door closed behind her, I spoke again without leaving my sights from following my pen.

"I suppose you've come here about the anomaly in the equation."

"Whatever do you mean?"

I had to rub my eyes. I had been a long day in front of papers, but when she was completely lacking in subtlety, the small ounce of tolerance to jokes wore off.

"I know you're trying at act with an air of incognition, but I know you too well to understand that you only hover over my work when I know something you don't. You want the information on the Longinus wielder who thwarted the death of most of our peerage members."

I could hear her clothes rustling as if she was either straightening herself up or if she was not prepping to prop herself unto a desk instead of a chair. But I never looked up to confirm which it was. There was little need to.

". . . Maybe."

"*sigh* You wouldn't be here if it wasn't."

Sacred gear users were always human. At least, when they are born. Although, there have been a few cases of species with human heritage being born with Sacred Gears, the cases were rarer compared to lineages of purely human ancestry.

The fact that they are human, means there was a good opportunity for discussion. And not necessarily for merely a contract. Since there had been no reports of any of the Devil clans owing up to possessing the [Red Dragon Emperor] in their peerages or of those within their families, there was a high possibility that this Longinus wielder was available for recruitment.

That was Rias' hope at the very least.

"What do you know then?"

Even as I was tapping away at my keyboard, I heard her hand hit my desk. From the corner of my eye, I could make out her arm to my near left.

"No more than what your Knight and Rook have already told you. Your Bishop is also just as clueless since he doesn't even make any mentions. I don't really know what you're asking of me when I don't have anything different."

I had already gone through all of these separate accounts, and at least seven which were repetitive as the witnesses were all focused on one angel's actions and only his demise by the [Red Dragon Emperor] seemed to be consistently reported.

I was not looking to blame any of them for mismanaging their memories; it couldn't be helped that the fatigue and lack of adrenaline in the later part of the day meant that many of our peerage members had started developing inconsistencies when they recounted exact what happened despite being in the same scene.

"It also doesn't exactly help our case that we have only one source sighting the second angel. And even then, there is only a brief sighting of the [Red Dragon Emperor], which only further adds to the mystery."

It was only thanks to Hyoudou that we even have any information on the second separate attack at all. Having nothing except knowledge that it took place was never going to cut it. I could have embezzled a false report, but it still needed some foundational truth to build on.

In the one I was writing up, I had to leave out any mention cooperation between him and the exorcist for a number of reasons. The big two were that a cooperation between either factions was not something anyone would want highlighted on their accounts. Putting aside the personal matters, it would be a diplomatic assassination that not only did Hyoudou need to rely on an exorcist, but that it became a two faction gang up, even on a rogue.

Second was that leaving it out while not explicitly mentioning it could then be interpreted as a lesser danger since any second party inflicted wounds found in the original report are automatically assumed by the first party.

To think that this would have been made a lot easier for all of us then manipulating information would have been if he had simply walked away from the confron-

. . . 'Hmm.'

When it suddenly came to me, something was suddenly not adding up. As I started stroking at my chin as I picked up Hyoudou's account, Rias began to notice my change in behaviour.

"What is it?"

"Why didn't he run?"

She probably looked at me puzzled after I said that. She even moved around the desks so that she was now standing right behind me.

"Hyoudou-san?"

Her response was still stiff, despite the fact that month had gone by. While it wasn't exactly fair to group one servant from the Phenex clan to their whole family. Well, it's not even the whole family that she doesn't have a high opinion of shall we say

"Yes; 'I attacked the fallen angel under the presumption that the rogue in question was about to engage an unarmed human. However, as I approached the scene, I discovered the ownership of a light sword, which I assumed the human was in fact an affiliate with the Angel Faction.' That's what he wrote. The normal procedure for when coming upon two members of the other factions is to avoid all necessary conflict."

"Perhaps he got overconfident, and then didn't have the pride to swallow it and flee."

I shook my head, as I took the timely brief intermission from reading to clear the few smudged on my glasses.

"We've faced B-ranked strays before, but after the first one he never overreached himself like that again."

I remembered that night clearly; the thought of putting myself so far away from my own peerage members without a proper observational line of sight nearly cost us that bout. If it hadn't been for Hyoudou's recklessness to retrieve that stray at the cost of being poisoned, it may have turned out quite a horrible affair.

Never again would I simply assume that a stray was anything but a creature that had no tact for intelligence again.

"I'd doubt that was his own measures. Knowing you, you stopped that from being an issue in the next fights."

"I learn from my mistakes, yes. But I observe everyone, and I know better than to assume that he would jump in to a fight he didn't think he could win."

'Not unless there was suddenly an anomaly.'

Ever since that night aforementioned, whenever we had to deal with another stray, he had been more cautious rather unlike his more foolhardy stunt on our first collaboration. He prioritized more hit and run tactics over close-combat, and made use of his {Promotion} and {Demotion} abilities quite regularly to keep the enemy on their toes.

For him to blindly attack and stand his ground was unlike the self I had been seeing for over several months now. I couldn't blindly put this down to forgetting how to fight in the two months he had been away for the summer. That realisation that this was an enemy too great to stand against based on experience should have kicked in immediately.

. . . Unless there is still something I am missing here. Obviously, there had to be, but nothing seemed to come to me immediately.

"Well, as you said, you should know him better."

There was definitely still residual dissatisfaction in Rias' tone, but I knew that for the better of the both of us that discussing it any further was not going to go anywhere.

Not between the two of us more specifically.

*knock* . . . *knock* . . . , . . . *knock*

Thankfully, the tension was cut by another knock at the door. Unlike Rias' entrance, the knocks were quieter and more timid than what one would usually expect from a knock at the door. There were long pauses between each before they stopped entirely.

"Come in" I said as I took my eyes away from the computer screen.

"Um, f-f-Fukukaichou?"

Peering around the door, but not standing in the room as all, I immediately saw brown hair and unmistakable striped knee socks that could only belong to my Pawn.

"Ruruko. I'm sorry, is it that time already? Please, come in."

"H-hai."

Indeed; coming from behind the door was my newest addition to my peerage. Nimura Ruruko. Though not part of the high school division of Kuoh Academy, she came to the Student Council room in her middle school uniform. It wasn't a coincidence considering I had asked her to come over in order to get her acquainted early with the dealing our peerage. Even if she was only recently reborn, it would be better to

The fact that I had suddenly found myself had made me lose track of the time and now I was behind.

I pushed my notes to the side in order to give my full attention to my new servant.

"Are you adapting well?"

"H-hai. Arigato."

Despite having her Pawn piece inside, the process was still relatively new and it had yet to properly adjust so her translator input still needed time to adjust. Consciously, she should still be speaking Japanese as she always has, but the Evil Piece would have automatically made it so it speaks in Deftodiz when I hear it, which as of yet hasn't happened.

Curious things, these Evil Pieces. Even the Maou Beelzebub admitted that there were many secrets he himself had yet to uncover, and that because each set were unique and each piece was an individual, there was no telling if two would ever work out the same as each other.

Ironic that he would outright say he was clueless about what these devices he made would turn out or mature when used, despite him being considered the 'sensible one' among our Maou. If they weren't also the strongest amongst our kind, I think they would have been replaced centuries ago with more competent leaders.

"Please, don't be so nervous" I told her. "Tsubaki should be in Class 2-A right now. I had the student council meet there while I finish this. Please, go on ahead of me."

"Hai."

She put on a brief smile before leaving, but everything about her motions were awkward. I couldn't be certain why she was being so tense at this moment, however the precognition of this situation was useful to me after having gone through the same if not similar adjustment phases with the other five.

"Ruruko."

"Ano?"

I kneaded my fingers over each other and brought them in front of me to show that they were not hiding anything. Basic psychology, but people do generally feel easier knowing that the sincerity is a second priority when the person speaking is doing something else.

For most occasions, except when you are delivering bad news rather than good, but that would be going too far.

"You are free to call me Souna if you like. If that's too sudden, then let's start with Shitori-san. Ok?"

Despite being a new devil, or a reincarnated underling as most high class devils would put it, I wished to be on a friendlier term. Being around the easiness of Rias' family and all their servants since I was little put me into a better perspective of how well the Gremory family's more lax constraints when it came to communicating between masters and servants.

Even while others may call it 'fraternising' as if it was derogatory, I wondered if which it is that reason that the Maou Lucifer has the universally recognised strongest peerage that are not only powerful on their own, but are the equivalent of a mobile task force on their own.

I had only gone through this process with Reya a couple of weeks before, but perhaps having my two newest servants learn alongside each other could also benefit growing and maturing as they nurture into this new life together.

"Hai. Sh-Shitori-san."

That smile as she left was one worth seeing; sincere and a true expression of emotion unlike polite smiles which I have seen too many people wear to mask their real faces. Times likes these, small me grateful that I bought into Rias' idea to set up schooling here.

And seeing how grateful people can be when given the right initiative was enough to push me toward the path I had been fiddling around with since I considered what I would do after my third year was over.

I still had a good couple of centuries before my parents considered retirement, and even as heir I needed an occupation of my own when I return to the Underworld. Being at this school, opening a school like this where all matter of devils, high to low could learn together.

Though it was nothing more than a dream right now, as I peaked in on it more and more each day, that dream was one that I wished to resolve myself to committing to."

"She's . . . coping? I didn't think she would still be that nervous after two days."

Although, now that I was giving the room a thorough look, I could think of one presence in the room that may have made so excessively nervous. Not every girl was blessed with inheriting their more of their mother's genes than others.

"She did die unless you've already forgotten. And, she's only nervous because you're here with me."

"Oh" Rias replied, crossing her arms under her chest as she would do. "Did you happen to say something that may have gotten the wrong impression of me?"

"It's your own fault, 'First Great Onee-sama of Kuoh Academy'. You made such a visage that just being around you can be overwhelming for the girls who aren't exactly popular."

It should have been a lightly veiled insult, but rias took it to be a compliment, though she was probably just that used to deflecting my retorts that she rolled with whatever observations I threw at her.

"I can't help that everyone admires me so easily."

"You mean because they all admire your various assets so easily."

It was only strengthening my case when she was puffing her chest like that. Not that in was looking since I was still doing my work at my desk all the while I'm still talking.

"Do I detect jealousy?"

"You're imagining things, Rias."

She was imagining it. And if you have a disagreement, then so are you. Assets are nothing when compared to a well-polished mind, just you remember that.

Perhaps it was the luck of the devil, pardon the pun, that we managed to get our interruption before any more nonsense was spewed between us; a small steel blue light appeared. Rather than appear as a large magic circle on the floor, the sequence appeared small around Rias' right ear.

Think of it as a blue tooth ear piece, except other people hand it to you when they want to call you. And judging by that unique colour and quadrupedal winged symbol, the only person who could have sent it belonged to the Agares Clan.

And, after filtering the options down, only one person in particular would call either of us in such a private matter rather than speaking via hologram. That was our friend from childhood; Seekvaira Agares.

I waited until their conversation was over, which wasn't hard to do since even if I was able to read Rias' lips, the conversation was private and her words were muted to all outside listeners. When the circle finally disappeared signifying the end of the conversation, I continued pretending that I wasn't at least curious about what was said.

I knew that patience would grant me the answers, simply because Rias couldn't keep secrets very well and would eventually cave in to her own desire to share it with me.

"I got a message from Seekvaira saying she wants to pay us a visit next month."

'Oh, really?' I could have replied, but I already fully guessed who the caller was. Although, there was one such topic that hadn't appeared to have been taken into consideration given its timing.

"I thought she had her hands full with the whole messy business between her and Zephyrdor."

I am not one to kiss and tell, so you won't be hearing a word from me about what exactly this 'messy buisness' entails. Although, it's not as if no one in the Underworld wasn't at least partially aware that the Agares' heiress and cousin of the Glasya-Labolas heir were in somewhat an intimate relationship.

That is, until apparently just recently. That is as far as my lips will tell.

For her to decide to bail there could only be two reasons; the first is just an escape from the eyes of the general populace who would be eating at the story for at least a week. Hiding here for a while would be her best option.

However, it was far more likely that the second option was the truer to her intentions. Rias too knew what would constitute her to come to Japan more than just to see us again.

"I know, but Gundam 00 is coming out very soon, and she want to be here when the merchandise starts hitting the shelves."

"That girl and her mechas."

I couldn't help but shake my head in a pleasant reminiscent way; ever since Maou Sirzechs brought back that VCR of Mobile Suit Gundam Volume 1 with its first three episodes back when we were all still in the single digits, Seekvaira has wanted nothing more out of her life than to own an oversized weaponised piloted automaton of her very own.

I think she even has her own warehouse with her family's lands specifically so that she can spend her eternity into making such a dream a reality. More of her time was spent with her engineers than it was with her boyfriend, and you didn't hear that from me.

It seemed that Rias had the same idea.

"Unless Zephyrdor was willing to cut off one of his arms and installed a metal prosthetic, it was never going to work out between those two."

"I couldn't agree more."

I snickered a little, and made one last reply before I most definitely had to return to my work before the day was over.

* * *

The Saturday came again almost in no time at all. I, **Hanna Blumhardt** , only say that, because I have had to subliminally blank out the rest of my week.

Not even just secluded in school hours. I have had several incidences before and after also where I've had to apply mental whitening over. But now that day had finally come around again.

"Going out, my child?"

I jumped in surprise from my packing as a voice came around the door behind me.

"F-father. I-I-I . . ."

As Father Mertens entered my room, I accidently tugged on my bag and it fell from my bed. All manner of contents I had spent the early hours and the day before sorting and packing in preparation for this day was now littering the floor:

Salt harvested from the shores of the Dead Sea in seven compactible shakers.

Two full bottles of Holy water blessed by the Archbishop of Metz. Even a small vial I had received from my inauguration four years ago with a droplet from the River Jordan was with them.

A silver crux I had usually placed over the head of my bed was also packed, while a smaller one was tied to a necklace.

The only thing that had not been packed was a small silver knife that I was keeping in my pocket.

If the meeting was a trap, and I most likely assumed it was. I could have taken less and attached them to my body for better ease of access. I could have, but I chose not to for conspicuous reasons. It felt like I was almost tempting fate to simply throw in the 'bad ending' by preparing for it.

If you think me comparing this to a fatal route in a visual novel, . . . well, I'll explain that a little later.

With everything now on the floor, I fell to my knees as I scoured my floors and under any piece of furniture I could see within view in order to restock my bag. The Father simply stood at the door the entire time as I clambered around to grab the bottles and check for leaks or scratches anywhere before he made a shuffling sound as he fed his hand into his robe pockets.

I didn't look around at first, but then he made a click in his tongue, which meant he had found what he was looking for. So I turned to face him, just as he had gotten his hand free, clutching.

"You can't go anywhere without this."

From inside a pocket in his robe, he pulled out an object wrapped in a pure white embroiled cloth. The cloth itself was no larger than a handkerchief, but it concealed much of the object as he passed it to me.

I held out both my hands, and I could feel a coldness as the object beneath made contact to my skin when he placed it upon them.

I removed the cloth after his hand retreated, and a bright gleam of light reflected off a metal object made for fitting around the hand. It wasn't a glove if I confused you, but it was a weapon.

There was no mistaking what I now held within my palms; it was a gun. A revolver with a six barrel cylinder and the cross pressed into the handgrip. The cylinder was already loaded, but the hammer was raised. This wasn't simply a toy you hand to a child after watching a spaghetti western. This was a real firearm I had just been handed.

"How on . . . , wh-w-where?"

"There are many rules in which we are governed by" he said after raising his hand to stop me from speaking. "God gave us Ten Commandments of which to live our lives by. The Church gives us additional one as Exorcists so that we may serve Christendom. But, the church are a collective of humans, and they often overlook a few laws that become outdated."

The gun felt like it would slip from my fingers by how uneasy I felt holding on to it. My mind was telling me that I was not qualified to use this gun. Not even the thought of going into potential battle with only

The bullets were of a sharper silver colour than the rest of the gun. So the bullets themselves where made of the same blessed metal as the light swords more exorcists were used to carrying. Only a select handful of exorcists with special training were ever permitted blessed silver as a sword, and then fewer than that were allowed a firearm of the same mineral.

Not one in a million. This was . . . was one in fifteen million at least. More than even that most likely.

"The rules under the terms of owning firearms is prohibited from being issued to those without a sufficient rank. However, a rule set when guns became small enough to be wielded one handed, there was an exception to the rule; 'Exorcists and Acolytes that are posted into regions classified as 'frontier bases' are required to carry a firearm and a blade at all times.' The classification of frontier means a place where there are less than thirty active members of the church stationed within a given area at any one hundred miles apart after travelling became easier to cover within a day.

I saw a small twinkle in his eye as he seemed to have found his loophole necessary to bend around the rules.

"And as the only two stationed in this island, I think it's fair to say that this is the bare minimum you are amounted to be using."

That still left one question on my mind though, even if I was going to comfort myself on the knowledge that I wasn't technically breaking the rules.

"But why a revolver?"

There were certainly better and more modern firearms with greater power and less recoil than this weapon of two centuries old design. This belonged in a museum more than in the hands of an untrained wielder. Even if the situation allowed it, this was simply not the best weapon to be giving me if any at all.

But, even then, the Father had an answer to that, like everything he does.

"That law was made during the time when the Americans were pushing westwards into the unknown. I felt it was more appropriate than a semi-automatic. And, it's an IOF .32, more accurately. Small enough to hide on your person. So long as you remember to reset the hammer, you will be fine for six shots."

The barrel was certainly shorter in length, and I guessed that the inclusion of the hammer when choosing it for me meant that I couldn't simply pull out the gun and shoot. There was an underlining determination to kill if I was to go through the necessary motions to ready the gun for firing rather than simply losing control in an uncertain situation with a slippery finger.

I probably could have explained that better, but this gun underlying asked that if I was to use it, that my resolve would need to force my hand to ready it.

I nearly felt such an itch to pull my thumb to the hammer just to get a feel, but I was thankfully saved from that temptation by the Father's right hand reaching out and stopping me.

"However, that doesn't mean you should whip it out so casually. It's a lot more ferocious than a camera, understand?"

I knew he was trying to throw in a small inside joke between the two of us, but I didn't feel like laughing or giggling in that instance. Smiling didn't even cross my mind when I could only think of this new weapon in my hands.

I nodded instead. My lips and face didn't even twitch.

He released his hand from mine, and I chose to hang on to the gun. I let it lie in one hand, my right one, before sliding my grip to adjust around its frame as if I was already drawn.

It was still cold, so dressing with a long shirt and jacket over the top would be more than sufficient to cover it up even if was only tucked to my belt. He provided no holster for me to use, but that was probably the extent of his willingness to bend the rules to his favour.

Though thinking on it, there was never a rule against a holster, even if there was or was not a gun ready to place inside it. It never crossed my mind until I had to think on it a little while later after I had already left our accommodation.

With that, I had nothing more to do except head to the meeting place. There was a slight strain in my chest that made me reluctant, as it should have. But, I had to. I can't say anything stronger than that, or more determined. I would rather have not decided primitively to accept the proposal, but now I only had this one chance. I couldn't afford slip up and abandon this chance for clarity.

"Oh, and one last word" Father Mertens spoke.

I stopped at the door and turned around. He didn't turn his head, but instead looked sideways towards the window as if to watch the sun come over the trees. He still retained that softy smile he always wore unless he was seriously worried.

"Remember your bible passages. I quite like Romans 13, so I think you should use that if you need to."

My eyes twitched a little. I knew what verses he was referring to, especially when in regards to the chapter he had cited. Whether he was offering me a weapon of offense of defence didn't occur to me quite then, but I trusted his words.

No. I had faith in his words. I trusted his judgement, because he was my superior and far more experienced than I was.

My hand reached for door to close it behind me, but again I was interrupted before that.

"Sorry, I do apologise."

I almost clocked my head around in annoyance, but I was slightly caught off guard by the fact his face was facing in my direction this time. But, his face was not smiling this time.

"This is really the last thing; Silver isn't as cheap as you think, so please use it sparingly."

His face then resumed that same gracious look that seemingly was fixed unto his face. If he had been retrying for a joke, then this time was a success. Admittedly, I felt a little more uplifted by it that I nearly let out a snicker.

"Of course. _Dankeschön_ (Thank you very much), Father."

I closed the door behind me and descended the stairs. I checked the clock before leaving and it was quarter past nine before I finally stepped out of the house to walk the morning road to the cemetery in Old Kuoh.

* * *

 **["I really don't like this idea of yours, Partner."]**

"So you have been reminding me for the last week, Ddraig. Even in my sleep, you're whispering in my dreams to abandon this meeting."

 **["There's a reason I am doing this to such an extreme extent; because I don't like the idea."]**

I, **Hyoudou Issei** , was in the middle of dressing when I ended up with a rude interruption from my Partner behind green. I had already put on my trousers and was about to button up the shirt before tucking it in when he started voicing his distaste more strongly.

Before you asked if I was dressing up because I was meeting up with a girl, I would have to shoot you down because there are other reasons to put on your best clothes.

No. The clothes were specific for the location, not the event.

But even if I knew Ddraig was meaning well in his attempt, I felt that his paranoia was getting the better of him now; trying at all his best attempts to kerb me of this meeting despite the fact that I had been the one to orchestrate a better compromise.

She had a photo of me, in full scale mail. {Boosted Gear} and Phenex brand all in one convenient shot. Had I not reacted, I might have salvaged a more plausible excuse, but I knew not what to expect at the time. Never mind if that information were to reach the Underworld after having kept it hidden for six years. Now the Vatican, Anglican Communion, and all those churches would know who I was and what I possessed. No doubt Heaven would then learn of it quite quickly after, and then with more bad luck the Grigori will undoubtedly get that information as well.

Soon, not that I wished to think about it, I could end up being targeted. Harmlessly, but more likely from multiple sides. The biggest factor would of course be the fallout of when the other devil clans find out.

So much gravity was now on the pivotal edge should this information escape. It was going to happen eventually, but now was definitely the wrong occasion and the seriously most unfortunate of circumstantial ways.

I had lived in fear that one day the Maou Lucifer would suddenly return, to either apprehend me. Or worse in some nightmares of mine, you imprison me. Those eyes that pierced through me those years ago still haunt me sometimes when I close my eyes. Everyone in the Phenex household suspected something similar, but he never said a thing. For five years now, he has been silent.

When I question why, I cannot think of a contemptable answer. No one could, unless he was waiting. That idea scared me even more. What possible opportune moment was the [Crimson Satan] withholding potential blackmail that he couldn't use already?

"And who was the last wielder to die by the church's hands?"

I thought I could throw him off by counter attacking with a logical question.

 **["Your immediate predecessor."]**

I was wrong though. My fingers ceased fiddling with my clothing, as the thought suddenly usurped my concentration and I couldn't erase the image from my head.

"You never talk about them."

 **["I don't like to lament on past lives. I have wallowed on my own death for far longer than any of them have lived. I moved on long ago."]**

I licked my front teeth behind sealed lips as I let my mouth become agasped and inhaled inwards slowly while taking in that information.

"How old?"

 **["When he died. Or, when I first partnered?"]**

". . ."

I couldn't answer; half of which was because I wasn't too sure which question I more specifically wanted the answer to. The other half was a small hint of reluctance to want to know. Perhaps it was a premature fear that was still in me, an inherited strain of human fear for my own mortality still lingering coupled with another human fear for superstitions such as tempting fate.

 **["He was seventeen when I could first talk to him. He was just a terrified boy living on the streets. I wasn't awake myself for his earlier life and he never spoke of where and why he was when I could first speak to him."]**

"Nothing?" I asked.

 **["He said God abandoned him. I was inclined to agree."]**

I sighed, and said nothing else. I couldn't think of what else to say as I now stood in this mirror near finished dressing but now unable to complete.

I was now suddenly more curious of the partner Ddraig had before me. Now that all fences were suddenly open, there was many things that I could have asked him about the one who came before me. I could of, but there was suddenly very little I wanted ask.

Dread. I had this feeling of dread wash over me. Perhaps it was the tone in his voice about how he was speaking of him, or mayhap because this once taboo topic was now suddenly available for dissecting that my words were hesitant to respond.

I wondered many things about my predecessors; who were the strongest? The bravest? What did they do with their power? What height of power did they obtain? My own childish line of questions I once wanted to pester Ddraig with. I wanted to know the 'coolest' of the [Red Dragon Emperor's] legacy. I didn't want to ask about a legacy now. I was older and less naïve toward the truths, and I wanted to know more about the person. I didn't ask for a name, a question that I felt was now suddenly too personal. I only felt comfortable with a trivial question at first.

"Did . . . he died the same day I was born?"

It was the first question that came to me at that moment. One fact I was immediately curious about, and one that I never forgot when the idea dawned on me; I had this Sacred Gear since I was born, so how long after was that from when my predecessor died?

 **["I suppose it is possible"]** he replied, after pausing a little while to recollect his own memories. **["I never kept track of calendars because of my own limitations, but it is most probably correct."]**

There a gnashing sound, like Ddraig had somehow retained his teeth as well as his voice, as they snapped together three times between sentences.

 **["He was only twenty nine when he died. I think he was a week, maybe nine days until he reached thirty. So I think."]**

 _Not all men born to greatness find a long fulfilling life in their futures._

I don't remember which book or person may have told me that. But hearing the age of my predecessor, I found that one line surfacing into my immediate thoughts. Not even reaching thirty years old. For humans who lived on average at around eighty in this modern era, that barely accounted for half of his expected life. To most of the population, he would have still been considered fairly young.

'That number is less than twice my own age now.'

"Were they all like that?"

 **["Some older. Some younger. Different strives. Different lives."]**

"And, how did he die?"

He had to take a while before he answered. Behind a layer of faux green mineral crystal, I could have sword I heard him make a clicking sounds, or something akin to smacking his lips, whether or not his soul actually had lips.

 **["We went to all-out war with the Churches of Europe. For what reason, I can't recall after six, seven, maybe eight years since we started. No allies. No permanent base of retreat or shelter. Just wandering to each new battlefield, then leaving a ruin behind with dead men guarding it. I don't even believe he knew the purpose of what he was doing. Just that he had power, and he was going to take out his anger on something with it. Not the first I ever had."]**

He exhaled heavily, and by the sound it was nasal. The rest of his air hummed in his throat before he let out a disappointed sigh.

 **["Then, we were struck down by another Longinus, {Zenith Tempest}. Unexpected, and so quick when it happened. We didn't stand a chance. Never did we stand a chance even had we known, I know as such. And-"]**

I had to blink a couple of times before I remembered that I was only listening to a story. I felt a grip constrict in my left hand, but I wasn't doing anything. Just listening, I started feeling a phantom pain of burning and shocks running across my veins.

"And?" I gulped, after having washed out the projected pain.

He sighed deeply. To me, there was a small dimming in his light when he talked like his voice was exhausting himself. This only happened when he was tired, or when his mood was weak.

 **["We were on the verge of death anyways, lying in agony from burns and bleeds that would not heal. No amount of {boosts} could stop death. But a priest struck a sword into his chest. The [Dragon Slayer], Ascalon. I still remember its sting, how much more painful it was than that lightning. And that was it; I fell into sleep again, until you woke me up again."]**

I could feel a constriction over my lungs. The phantom pain almost felt so real the way that Ddraig delved into describing them. There was no literal proof that I and my predecessor were connected by some ethereal external forces, but considering that the last [Red Dragon Emperor] had been paired with Ddraig, that one small connection made it seem so possible. I wondered whether it was just nerves that were suddenly becoming too active, but I quivered at the déjà vu when that description turning from a recreational mental image into a falsely inserted memory.

But, I questioned whether his fate would have become mine had I not met my Lady that cold and rainy night six years ago. Would my death be as inevitable, and life so fruitless that I would be no more than a pest that needed to be exterminated.

 **["Imagine my surprise when my first new day was hammering down a giant bird with a five year old wielding me."]**

A snort travelled through my throat and into my nose as I slapped my hand to cover both it and my mouth.

"Your memory's waning, old man. I was ten when that happened, not five."

 **["And yet you threw a pretty good tantrum, like a five year old."]**

I snickered a little. More sarcastic than the first time however.

"I had to beat some sense into a perverted dragon who didn't know how to keep his mouth shut."

The light on my left hand flashed over and over again, getting brighter by the second as Ddraig's laughter started to become infectious to the point that I was now laughing at my own joke.

This was the partnership that made our relationship so precious to me. These times where we work as one, fight as one, and especially when we can have a laugh between ourselves. As much as I am grateful to the Phenex for giving me a new home and a better life, Ddraig was my family. His soul and mine were joined since I was born and he is the one being who has never left my side.

I don't think I could have survived everything I had been through if he hadn't been there with him. Last week, I definitely would not have lived had he been partnered to anyone else.

"You've always been my conscience" I said to him. Had anyone else been present in the room, stroking the back of my left hand would have looked especially weird, not mention that I was talking to it.

 **["Someone had to teach that reckless child to keep his cool in a castle full of devils. And even when you started getting a little too full of yourself and started picking fights with Tannin's brood."]**

"Hey, you and I both know that Bova deserved what he got."

 **["I'm not suggesting anything different. But, it's this very trait that has nearly gotten you killed. A few times, I should add."]**

Though the mood in the air had resumed to its norm, I couldn't help but take his words a little more seriously than when I first woke up this morning.

"Are you saying it's a bad trait?"

 **["It's a double-edge sword, Partner. If you don't keep a firm grip of it, you'll be the one who gets pierced by it one of these days."]**

I raised an eyebrow to his response "What trait, specifically, is it?"

 **["Your need to prove your self-worth."]**

" . . . "

I didn't answer, but that stood their in silence, before I went on to continue fixing up my clothes. Ddraig eventually got the message.

 **["*sigh* Take it from one who has lived the same story a hundred life times, Partner. You take unnecessary risks to yourself. I may be partially to blame for giving you this sense of courage too early, but when you knowingly choose not to invoke my help, that's not courage. That is stubbornness and foolhardiness."]**

I couldn't think of a proper response, and so I pretended that I never heard it. Whether this was because I wished to ignore it, pay no heed to something that was untrue. Or perhaps because I was seeing the Graeae in his words, and not his words, that I was now wishing it had never been said.

I finally applied my belt to my trousers and tucked in my shirt before tightening the buckle and centering it. I put on my suit jacket, but then neglected my tie because I didn't' wish to have it obstruct me while I was working. To that same effect, I kept my top button undone

Tugging at the sides as I looked over myself in the mirror, I nodded in satisfaction and got into my shoes. I had no other smart ones except for the one I wore to and from school. I neglected polishing them, so they were a little scuffed at the right heel where I almost caught myself tripping as I descended the stairs last Tuesday. A small patch of dust from walking in dry mud over the course of five days in the row made a small line at the bottom edges of both

I walked from my bedroom to my kitchen. I looked to counter to double check the Tupperware for the defrosting bolognese sauce and mince on the drainer for dinner tonight. And of course a small helping of sardines for Karuka when I returned. My bags of cleaning utensils from last week were with me and within an arm's reach in case the circle was too small by some small mistake that I could grab it. With nothing else to check up on, I was ready to depart now.

I set up a teleport circle and headed straight to the burial grounds.

* * *

I, **Hanna Blumhardt** , approached the graves on a terrible day of pre-winter chills. Though the sun was hot when it was out, the clouds that covered it and the winds that followed made it feel like a very cold day.

I had dressed to accommodate the heat of the sun whilst I was making my way towards the Shinto burial site. But now, it was cold and I was cold too. Ridiculous weather this country has. It also didn't help that the uphill climb to the Old Kuoh district meant I was even hotter than if I had simply stayed standing in the sun for the past hour.

Why I didn't take a bus was a simple principal that the route was within walking distance. Besides, I was not wasting the yen to visit a devil.

I reached the bottom of a long and narrow stairwell that would lead me to the destination. I tapped my hand to my back and felt the gun still holstered there. I gave a shook of my bag on my back and I heard the contents shift in response. To my left pocket, I touched the handle of the knife in its sheath still deep next to my thigh.

I hadn't left anything behind, and everything I needed was here. There was no more hesitation, and so I took that first step going upwards and into the cemetery in Old Kuoh.

Everything was so . . . clean? No, maybe that was a pretty too generic word to describe it; weeds still grew in places and the path had obviously shown signs of retreating into the ground. Even the rain had eroded some of the shaping into the gravestones. Clean was not the right word.

Orderly. It was oddly orderly when I looked out.

That is not to say that the Japanese had anything up against our European styled cemeteries, or that was implying in any way that their method of burying and displaying the sites of their dead was superior, but everything was still kept neat and . . . well orderly.

All the stones were not struck into the ground, but sat on little blocks like buildings on a city plan. The earth could not drag it down, so it remained above the ground and upright as it should be. I could remember a few examples of ones back in my home of Eisleben, where a grave was flat on its front and almost being drawn into the grass and disappearing below the green.

It hurt to see memorials of peoples come and gone just fading like they were never here. I wondered how many parents would never be found again by their children, or their grandchildren, or even their great-grandchildren because the natural world was cruel like that.

It was smaller here though. Definitely smaller than the much larger one that was still expanding in West Kuoh I had passed on my way to school every five days for the last six months, excluding the holidays. There was definitely more signs of age in this place, such as the lack of health and safety when it came to a surrounding fencing, or even handrails on the steps leading up to the top.

The steepness alone would be hazardous if the steps themselves were to lose any sort of grip with a person's shoe.

To the third row along the right, I spotted a person standing there. As this place was utterly deserted save for one soul, or should I say soulless, it had to be that devil. He was dressed as if he was prepared for a funeral, but I noticed the lack of a tie as my view of him became clearer.

He didn't see me approach, so I felt a little more at ease. At first.

I took long surveillance of my path ahead and all around in case I had indeed fallen into a diabolical trap set pre-emptively for my arrival before I walked on toward him.

Even when I walked, I watched the gravestones in case some small imp or spriggan would leap from behind the stone and attack. As my steps drew nearer, I focused less on around and more towards my front. Towards the [Red Dragon Emperor] himself.

My worries turned more into a glaring disappointment; he was noticeably very rude despite having asked to meet me here, blatantly ignoring me as I drew in closer with every stepping pace and even now as I was now directly next to him. Closer, might I add, than I should really have kept myself within. His eyes never turned from the stones in front of him. It was only when I got closer that I saw a rag in his hand, and a distinct pinkish, or even reddish, ointment on the tips of his fingers.

My left hand felt itching to reach into knife, when the contents started to drip from his tips and form a small puddle to his side. The colour made me think of blood, and was suddenly more alter ahead of me than to my surroundings. I thought it was too unoccupied even for a graveyard, and yet it somehow made sense that no one would find a dead person among the graves to be the least bit suspicious.

I dug my hand into my pocket as I walked on closer.

But, my . . . *ahem* initial assessment was unwarranted, when I saw the carrier bag sitting by his feet, and few different brightly coloured bottles poking out from the plastic. There was even a paintbrush grasped in his hand before he tossed it into the bag as well.

There too was a sponge and several old clothes poking from his left hand and from his pocket too, and it was only as I looked more closely that I noticed open grave that was cleaner than the rest, and he was standing directly in front of it. Had he been cleaning the entire time? Now that I thought about it, how long had he been here before I arrived? He did say that he would be here all day, so he

"You know, I thought it would be dirtier than I imagined it. Thought I might literally be here all day, but I finished sooner than expected."

From the side of the large monolith of black, I could read various amounts of Kanji, but one pair stood out and replicated multiple times on this single site was accompanied by its romanji counterpart on a small informative stand just in front of the graves;

兵

藤

 _(Hyoudou)_

My eyes turned from both the name and to the devil before me at least twice. His name was Hyoudou too. This wasn't come contractual obligation, it was more like covering his back more than anything. I had them all memorised: _Hanakai,_ _Himejima_ , _H_ _youdou, Kusaka, Kiba, Meguri, Shinra, Toujou, Yura._ Oh, yes and _Nimura_ also now.

"Is this the human family you took your name from?" I said aloud, hoping to stir some form of reaction out of him.

I was honestly quite surprised that a surname like his ended up being real. When I first heard of it, I was certain that it was just a made-up name that he had taken from a popular media source. 'Fate/stay night', that was the game I was thinking of. There was a certain character from within the video game I picked up with nearly the same name as him, so I assumed that the alias was taken from this fictional person. The only difference was the change of "Ryuu" to "Hyou", which looking into it I thought may have been to hide the clue that he was the [Red Dragon Emperor].

In my defence, I was only just learning Japanese, and I saw the words "Holy Grail" and I thought that it could be beneficial. It also cost me a good deal, and the game-play was very unappealing with all these multiple choice you have to make just to advance. Honestly, who but these Japanese would turn something as Holy as Christ' Chalice from the Last Supper and turn it into a mere plot device to instigate an adventure/romance genre game with multiple story paths to follow down?

His reaction to what I said didn't show in his face, but there was something more emotional in his tone. Not a whiny sound, just something that tried to be more assertive.

"It is my family" he replied.

I couldn't help but sarcastically snort at his response. "But you're devil."

"Yes. But, I was born human."

I wanted to snort again, but there was a difference in his tone that halted my initial response. I knew, at the time, that it had to be a lie. It made no sense what so ever based on everything I knew, and I knew that he could easily spin a lie and make it truthful. But, I didn't think he was lying this time.

It sounds odd even for me to admit it, but that change in tone from his first reply to his second was different that I was questioning whether or not one was a lie with truth and the other was truth with a lie.

Gah. This is why I prefer to just kill them rather than talk to them. I don't have to think so hard about the way they speak.

"b-Born . . . human?"

His head finally turned, but he looked at me in utter confusion. If, that was supposed to be a face that was replicating confusion. Eyes squinting and a slightly crooked jaw could have meant a different expression of emotion for devils.

"You don't know about-" he stopped midsentence and blinked a few times. "W-what did you think happened when devils started getting Sacred Gears? If only humans can be born with them, then how is it possible for so many to be in the possession of devils?"

'We have no way of making our own.' That was what it sounded like he was implying. That had to be the truth. Only the Lord God was capable of crafting such gifts that bestowed power to the weak. It was not something for the likes of lowly devils to be able to snatch their claws on.

"No one at the church knows until you reach high enough in the system. Most of us guessed that devils took the identities of those they had killed and wore their skin to cover their tails and horn."

His face stretched and then shook if off. I was worried that the skin was a mask and he was going to throw it off by how he shook. "I assure you I have neither of those things, and I haven't been stealing skins either."

'I still don't believe you.'

I don't know whether he could read it in my eyes, but that thought was somehow translated to him and he responded as if he could read my mind. He started by pointing to furthest right on the second row, flicking his hand up and down three of them as he pointed out the names on the stone faces.

"That's my great-grandfather. His first wife, and then his second wife was my great-grandmother. He moved here with her at the beginning of the century, but she died. He married my great-grandmother eight years after. He passed in his sleep, and she died of stomach infection."

 _Hyoudou Izumi_

兵藤 泉

1878年05月05日

1900年12月07日

 _Hyoudou Kazuma_

兵藤 一真

1867年09月28日

1922年02月21日

 _Hyoudou Touka_

兵藤 董香

1870年07月01日

1940年12月31日

His hand then drew to the lefthand side and again flicked over a couple of names as he narrated again.

"My grandfather and grandmother are here. He had served in garrison units in the homeland during the Sino-Japanese war, but died from wounds sustained as a result of the fighting in Korea. He was on a UN transport vessel sunk in the East China Sea as a result of the Chinese intervention. He survived, but he was severely mentally scarred. My parent's only said he took a walk to Mt Fuji and he passed on there. They didn't tell me he walked into Aokigahara however. My grandmother outlasted him, and did the best she could on a survivor's pension to support my father."

 _Hyoudou Hiroto_

兵藤 一人

1908年11月08日

1954年10月15日

 _Hyoudou Keito_

兵藤 景戸

1919年07月05日

1991年06月03日

"And here, these are my parents."

He pointed to the stone directly in front that he had been rubbing and cleaning off whilst he had been here. It was certainly more modern looking than the ones I looked over previously, and the stone used was definitely newer and less affected by the signs of aging.

 _Hyoudou Kazuya_

兵藤 一也

1954年12月31日

2001年10月19日

 _Hyoudou Miyu_

兵藤 美夢

1958年11月23日

2001年10月19日

There nothing more significant than the previous graves. Nothing except for their dates of death. Both of them were identical from day to month to year. Which could only mean that they died on the same date.

"It was the 19th October 2001. My parents were killed in our own home. I was ten years old, orphaned. The next time I saw their bodies, they had already been cremated and placed right here. When I came back here less than six months ago, this is the first time I have really seen them again in six years."

I heard a sniffle, but when I looked, his face turned away. It was probably just a cold as I initially thought. His tone didn't sound entirely broken up despite the fact that he was describing his own 'parent's demise.

"My family had complications when it came to giving birth and having children. Both sides of the family as it turned out. My parents had two stillbirths before I was born. Those two stones here; these are my elder sisters."

 _Sachi_

(さち)

15/2/1982

 _Iriko_

(いりこ)

11/10/1987

Unlike the other graves, there was no formal smooth block with engravings. There were only two stones the size of two palms cuffed together, each of then sitting in front of the graves of their parents. The paint looked new, but there were traces where the letters had been painted over with the last layer almost washed a chipped. Only an observant eye would have noticed, but there were also differences in brush style.

The names were written in hiragana rather than kanji, and the dates of birth were written western style rather than Japanese. The more obvious sign was the lack of a final date.

Unlike the main monolith, I noticed that the names had been painted all in red. I wasn't too sure where I had read it from, but supposedly the Japanese paid for a grave stone in advanced and put both spouse's names on it to symbolise a marriage until death. When either or both of them perished, the names would be painted in red to mark witness to their passing.

Though the older ones had been more worn, there was clear evidence that this had once been, but unlike these newer ones, theirs had been left as they were. Only the 'parents' and 'siblings' had been repainted as far as I could see.

He turned his head off to the left and I saw his hand brush his cheeks.

"These . . . rocks with letters and kanji and numbers. These are all I have left of my family. I had a childhood home that is a ruin. I have boxes in storage of memorabilia, or whatever is really left. And I have these rocks in this graveyard. This is all that remains of my human life."

"Why did you ask me to come here?"

His teeth chattered for a bit before his answer came.

"Why indeed?"

He didn't turn his head, but looked up over the graves rather than at them. His eyes seemed to follow the clouds, but then it became mesmerised by the two characters of his surname on the largest plinth. He then took in a large breath, and replied in his respective neutral tone.

I had no idea what to believe when I was speaking to him; he spoke of a family and a history, but the way he was speaking about them had to be a lie. No human would speak that way if they knew so much about their family. Even a broken person could speak about the dead with some sympathy or emphasis on their own depression.

He sounded like he was simply too far away to allow it to concern him anymore. The emotion for mourning had been lost.

If, and I say this if as in I don't know but I won't say yes, . . . IF, he was telling me the whole truth, and this was his family, then he must have abandoned any ties of- . It was so inhuman to do, that it made perfect sense for a devil.

I had no idea why I was suddenly getting emotional over that fact. I didn't believe him. I wasn't willing to allow myself to believe what he was telling because everything in me was saying that his tone was not- . . . How can this be the voice of one who has lost so many people in their lives? People do not move on so like this. They do not abandon their feelings and warmth from their memories? Without a decent amount of love or sadness or happiness or hatred, or whatever the heck they are supposed to feel them when they talk about these things.

This was not what you would hear. I can't stop repeating myself, but this is not what family does for one's own family. These are not just facts you read in a book, these are your important and treasured feelings. Did becoming a devil take that from him? Or was he just so fu-, just so incredibly

I wanted to seriously pull my gun on him and shoot his brain from his skull for being so insensitive about these human's lives. I restrained myself this time, but I wasn't too sure if another would come up.

"At least you knew your parents."

I didn't say it loud enough to be heard, but the words just seemed to slip from my mouth rather than remained contained within my own head.

What I said wasn't just a few empty words. They were riddled with absolute truth; my father died before I was born. Like, he was already dead right before my mother even knew she was pregnant with me, or supposedly since he was dead nine months before I was born. Either way, I never even got to see my father's face even after I was first introduced to him, because his body was already buried and the grass had already began to grow over his coffin.

'What did your mother say about him?' you might ask. The answer is nothing. I never heard her say a word about him. Or about anything.

Because I never met her.

'Did she die as well?' most would ask afterwards.

I don't know. She abandoned me. I grew up in the church. I was just . . . found one day, at the altar of St Andreas Church in Eisleben. The priest didn't know how I got in, nor do the nuns that served from nearby. I was just there and they first knew when they heard me crying.

They found a baby in a wooden basket stuffed with straw. Wrapped up in a white silk blanket and a birth certificate. Under father, it said 'Hans Georg Blumhardt'. Under mother, it said only 'Laylah'. No other information, except of course for my own name, and the day I was born;

'Hanna Lieselotte Blumhardt'. '20th März 1992'. The same day that I just happened to have been found. Too great a coincidence, but it was all true and I have never suspected that any of the witnesses had every tried to lie to me about the circumstances.

I only knew who my father was because . . . *sniff*

Sorry. This filthy air is itching my nose something irritatingly. I've probably picked up an allergy or something standing next to a devil for so long.

My only proof was DNA; a biological confirmation proved that I was his, this Hans Georg Blumhadt's daughter, despite them having buried him five foot under only months before. I remember when they first took me to it when I was seven. They said things like 'your father was a great man. A strong man. A zealous man who gave his life in service to God.' It wasn't really even my choice. It was expected that I would be an exorcist. And, that's what I became.

"Did you say something?"

"No!"

Oh, stupid stupid me. I yelled out my response as quickly as he said that.

"You didn't kill me."

"Excuse me."

"I was lead into the forest, I had my guard down during your interrogation, but you chose to whip out a photograph and wave it like fanning a flame." His face looked at me. Those eyes were not bloodshot or anything. "You didn't suspect you would get burned?"

"And you. You could have killed me. But, you didn't."

"I didn't. No" he sighed in reply.

"Why?"

"Too prideful" he shrugged.

"Now you're just insulting me."

He turned his face and screwed his face in a carefree manner. he didn't even look scared, but deep down that made me feel even more cautious.

"I'm a devil. Isn't that what I should do?"

Was that a snicker I heard? His mouth curled a little, so he must have found it amusing. Darn devil.

I rolled my eyes.

"So. you're not going to kill me then?" he asked.

I seriously wanted to at that point, but I then found myself hesitating. It wasn't because I didn't belive I couldn't take him down. I knew that if I didn't kill him first off, he would rip me in half before I would get the chance to retreat. The fact that neither of the fallen angels had been left with much of a trace meant that I could at least gauge how powerfl he was if he went all out on an opponent.

If I attacked, I had to be the one who puts a bullet in his head first.

But no. No. It was wrong. He wasn't a stray, so killing him would be a declaration of war. That was, unless the church were to throw me at the devil's mercy to keep the peace. It was then that I remembered the Father's words before I left. It was only now that I was thinking back over those passages he told me too remember that I came to a new conclusion as to why he was asking we to reference them in this discussion.

"Romans 13:7 and 8" I said. It was both a reply to him, and a reminder for me as if my thoughts were spoken out loud

I felt a small throb in my side. As much as the words tasted bitter when saying it, having my hand over my hip convinced me that perhaps, just for now, it was for the better of both sides as a whole that this was the outcome.

"I haven't actually read the bible you know. It's a pain to read. Literally, not figuratively."

I was really starting to hate this tone of his. I hate talking for this long with him. It only forced me to be mindful of how I spoke so that i wouldn't' show him an opening to dig his silver tongue into.

"Indebtitude. That's the basis of the verses; don't be indebted to people."

Even after all that, I hated to admit it, but I did technically owe him for not killing me when he could have. Even treating my wound counted as saving my life. Confronted with the possibility that I could have died if he hadn't cauterized my hip didn't sit well, even when it was truthful taking into account all the factors that might and might not have happened.

"And ye-"

"Don't bother. I'm only here becau-"

I stopped midsentence.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. Because you didn't kill me, I won't kill you. We're even."

His face screwed after that. "Hardly. The difference is that you can't kill me."

That gun and knife within arm's reach were starting to make my fingers itchy again. I started stepping back as his tone became a little more aggressive.

"You seriously want to test me?"

"The debt" he said, as he presented out his fingers before me "is I didn't strike you down in a moment of weakness, and I saved your life by cauterizing that wound to your hip. Plus, you would have caught a cold if I hadn't given you my shirt. I count that as three."

The shirt. Oh, if only he hadn't of brought up that stupid, god-forsaking shirt, I might have just let his words slide over me as Jesus did to when the devil tempted him in the desert.

"The 'shirt thing' is causing me grief in school thanks to it being in my possession."

For the whole week, I had to endure the rumours and the back talking that. No matter what words I said, I only could ever stoke it up. Staying quite was not my virtue. That fire continued to erupt and I couldn't stop demanding that it ceased no matter where I went.

I tried to hold my tongue, but it was beyond my own mortal controls.

He stopped and took a deep breath, then his face relaxed a little more. But, that didn't warrant me to be any less cautious around him after showing his more natural persona.

"Fine. Two. I'll . . . say the shirt is nothing. I'll explain that to them and you'll hear no more of it. You know, I can be persuasive to people. Very."

"You really are the devil, you know that."

"Thank you."

Urgh. That smug smile.

"That's not a compliment."

"When you are calling the pot black, you're stating a fact. That's a compliment."

"I still have to file a report."

His face was still dead, like it didn't even twitch when I said it. He stepped forward, so I stepped back. He noticed this and stood up more straight and coughed to clear his throat. I still stepped back again. The again while his eyes blinked.

"So you should" he replied, too composed as he was. "But, you would have already. Do you want a de-"

"Deal with the devil?" I rhetorically asked, not even requiring his answer since there was never going to be one where he got to reap the benefits. My faith was not weak enough for him to get to me that easily.

He waved his hand in obvious defeat to that reply.

"Fair point. Then what is it?"

I was about to speak, but then I spotted something, or someone , standing behind him.

"Hmm?"

I rubbed my eyes, and yet that figure was still there. But . . . when and how was what I was asking myself.

"What?" the devil said. Did he not notice either? But, his senses were suppose to be sharper than mine. How could he not know. Unless . . . he was expecting it?

"Is that one of your relatives?"

"Huh?"

I wasn't being sarcastic in my tone, as my finger pointed toward the site we had been standing at, and his head followed it and confirmed as such. His shock came at quite a surprise for the both of us at this mysterious third figure in the cemetery.

There, a girl was now kneeling before the graves of his 'parents'. She held a stick in her hand the size of a small skew with a wick of fire at the end furthest from her left hand. Small trails of smoke from incense were floating form the air. First I could see three, and then four, before the wick in her hand went out.

"No. I don't-" the devil replied to me, taking a step back toward the graves of his 'family'.

As she turned to see us, I could see how blue her eyes were. Her hair was the colour of periwinkle, and was long like one of those 'hime' cuts from the old days. Her skin was quite pale, but it was a natural pale rather than inhuman or painted. A faint layer of light colour was present on her lips, but nothing that seemed to draw out the need for attention like a bright red or pink. It was simpler than that, like a touch of tea rose. She was dressed in a kimono, a blue one with a black obi over some other navy long piece of fabric wrapped to her waist.

I couldn't get my head around all these different names for clothes in this country.

Her shoes were black, but they were those sandals this country's people wore. Not the wooden ones with the two small stilts across the bottom. These were all solid, a bit like a 1970's platform shoe, except it had a blue string that her sock fit around that also tied around her ankles.

Her hands had fingerless gloves with a gold ring hooked over the middle fingers, and her hair was decorated with black ribbons with gold rings just above the ear while the tresses next the backs had shiny black beads holding together at the ends.

I couldn't tell from her age. She look young, but there was something about the way she held herself that seemed unnaturally elderly. I didn't know if that had something to do with the old style clothes she was wearing, but I could sense a presence of experience coming off from her. I can't really describe it. It seemed so . . . transcendent, but that didn't seem like the right word.

"Excuse me" he said to her. "Pardon, but . . ."

"Please"

She said cutting him off, before standing up and doing one of those Japanese bows. After the stress of today, seeing a small smile curiously made my heart feel lighter even though I wasn't present in the conversation.

"I do apologise about this abruptness, but I haven't had the chance in such a long time."

I couldn't see from the back of his head, but I assume that his eyes would have widened had he been human, and based on the higher volume in his voice.

"Did you know my parents?"

She shook her head gently so that the hair wouldn't fly out of control. "I know of a lot of people, but never quite so personal. I only came now because I was finally able to do so."

She turned and looked almost lovingly overt the graves. It was strange to sya it, but it resembled painting I had seen of the Virgin Mary as she looked over the baby Jesus lying a sleep in her arms. Why that image came up is unknown to me.

"Did you used to live around here?" he asked, to which she turned back to him. I'm surprised that she had decided to talk to long with him without feeling the least bit creeped out by his existence.

"Once. A very long time ago, I used to live in this very district to the west of here. But, my old home is under new occupancy unfortunately after being empty for so long. I don't mind. It was lonely living here by myself. I still have my sisters and brother where I live now, so I am never lonely."

"Do you ever curse the gods for taking the people you care about from you?"

"w-w-w-Why do you ask?"

She didn't answer at first. Her hands glided over the newly cleaned stones as if she was stroking them.

"People often forget that it's the duty of the gods to maintain the order of the world. If people are meant to live, they will live. If they are meant to love, they will love. If they are meant to die, they will die. Gods cannot be held responsible for something that is beyond even their control. Yet, many forget that they can perform small miracles if they wish. Bringing friends back together. Allowing good fortunes to come about. Even sparing those we treasure the most. The gods do listen, but they are stubborn creatures too, just like humans."

She covered her mouth with the back of her hand as if she had made a small joke. I didn't quite understand it at all though, it wasn't exactly funny to be speaking about pagan gods as if they were equals of the Lord almighty above.

"Empty stones" she then said. "Names carved into them from a time before. A mark upon the world that people once lived her. Built here. Worked here. Raised children and grew old here. But they are just empty stones unless there is someone to treasure them. They are just useless inscriptions, unless there is someone to give them meaning."

His knees were now muddied by the ground as he knelt before the stones and wipes his hands over them, as I watched him from the left.

"They may now go on in peace, knowing their son is safe."

"Hang on, I- Huh?"

The wind suddenly picked up, and I had to cover my face as it caught my hair and smacked it in front of my eyes. It was so strong that the trees were rustling like they were about to break. Leaves brushed against the both us and were completely blinded.

As I looked around when the winds died down, the kimonoed woman had vanished. I checked for a second entrance, but there was no way for her to have moved so quickly even if there was. No footprint either despite the ground being ripe for memorising them. The wind had blow the incense out too, without knocking them over, which was also a mysterious phenomenon.

It made no sense at all.

"Where is she?"

The devil shrugged his shoulders, obvious startled as well as he stood up again. I noticed that the leaves had all but gone from the floor despite the flurry that followed along the gale's trail.

"Was it . . . an angel?" I questioned, as Hyoudou covered his forehead as he looked skyward.

"I definitely would have felt uncomfortable if that was so. I would never have been allowed to get so close without feeling instinctual fear."

'Perhaps it was a ghost', I then thought. Maybe some sort of pagan ritual and been invoked and inadvertently awoke a ghoul from beneath the graves to our sights. Yes. Maybe that was it. It fitted pretty well, better than anything else that would appear quick to my mind of a appearing and disappearing act.

"Why do you clean your graves?" I asked, hoping that he might realise that it was his fault if it was a ghost.

"Don't you?" he asked.

I didn't answer except by shaking my head. Though some people did, it wasn't exactly very common for it to be done. There was no moral obligation to constantly maintain a person's grave since they were already deceased whichever way they went.

"Respect. It's a silly tradition, but we do this to show that we still respect them. At certain times of the year, we even are able to communicate with them, _figuratively_."

He tapped the grave stones of his 'grandparents', and I swore that I saw an exhaled smile on his face.

"I think I did this once when I was younger, with my parents. I wanted to play with Irina that day and it became a conflict of interests. I remember, my dad told me that I had to, because . . . um. Oh; 'If we do not cleanse these stones and make them shiny, then it will be hard for Irori-kamisama to find-' . . . them."

He didn't react at all. Despite the halt in his speech, he didn't do anything for a while.

No. No, don't say that he was ow thinking it was a goddess we just saw. No.

"What are you trying to imply?" I said, when he turned his body around slowly to the spot where the woman once was.

I knew what he was trying to get at; he was trying to say that woman that appeared before us was a goddess. A _pagan_ goddess. I refused to believe that such suppositions were even fathomable.

I knew what I saw, but . . . I had my God. There was only one. Right?

He sniffed, and then sniffed again. That had to be a cold. He wasn't crying. He was wiping his nose with a dry rage from his pocket. No, that was a handkerchief. He had a handkerchief and was wiping his nose.

"I-I don't know" he replied.

His face stopped and so did his speech. I watched his hand reach for his right cheek and dabbed it a couple of times before examining it.

He didn't turn around to look at me, but I . . . well, I saw water, or something wet on his palm from around his shoulder.

A tear?

No. That wasn't possible. It was probably just rain, surely.

He was now wiping his cheeks and his eyes over and over, but no, he couldn't be crying,

He was devil. No. No.

He didn't even sound sad about his parents or his relatives. No. He surely wasn't doing any such thing.

What on earth was going on now?

Pity? Was I now feeling pity for this thing.

Over a single tear?

No. Surely not.

I was not feeling pity for him- for it. I said it.

Just because he was showing emotion now towards his family should erase that which he show no reaction toward earlier when he spoke of them like facts in a book. That was not a tear, unless it was one that was shed by a crocodile.

I couldn't handle this

"You're going now?"

I didn't turn back to look at him. I simply couldn't hold myself anymore to do so.

"Yes."

"Is there-"

"My superiors will have to hear about the [Red Dragon Emperor]" I told him, before he could work anymore of his devil tricks on me. "There is no negotiation that you can do."

As I continued walking away, that tinkle of pity started flooding, until I couldn't bear it anymore. The passage the father gave me echoes in my head again. Indebtitude. I was still indebted to him, even if it was a disgusting devil like him.

Darn you, my stupid ignorant human heart. Making me so weak to frivolous things like this.

'Lord. Please forgive me for all that I am about to do. I am weak and I am with sin. Accept my trespasses and seek retribution as you see fit.'

I took up all my courage as I stopped dead in my tracks before I was out of audible range of him, inhaled once again, but I still kept my back to him when I said.

"You know, it's a shame."

"What is?" he asked. His voice was quiet, which meant that he had not followed. That was a relief.

I didn't bother turning to look at him still. I couldn't do it again with all that he was doing now. It was too much for me, and I worried that I would only fall further if I looked back at him.

"I was unconscious when he appeared. If it hadn't been for that photo, I probably wouldn't have known to seek you out. A shame I never got a real answer from you about the [Red Dragon Emperor]."

I bit down on my own jaws and walked off without showing any desperation to leave. One uneasiness had left my chest, but now I was feeling a new emotion; Guilt.

As I reached the main road and walked along the pavement back home, I hung my head low as I trailed on.

Then, I felt a coldness in back of my shirt, and I knew for a fact that the metal of the gun had gotten warm since before the meeting, so I was certain it wasn't that.

I reach out my hand, and I could feel wetness against my hand when I hit the bottom of my bag.

 _'Scheiße_ , Lord forgive me.'

I swung my bag from my back and at the side of the road I knelt down and inspected the bag.

Nothing was broken, but one of the caps from the bottles in my bags had somehow come undone whilst it had been sitting among my other equipment.

I dug my hand in, and sure enough I found that the cork had come loose, and so did a few granules of salt, but as I checked though it to see if the shakers had been damaged in anyway, I felt an unfamiliar fabric like texture brush my fingers.

At the bottom of my bag, among all the other items I had prepared for this meeting, was that shirt. The black shirt with the holes in the shoulders. Holes no more. Just hole though. It seemed that one of the bottles or shakers or something else has managed to tear at the right sided hole and joined it to the collar.

I pulled it from my bag and sure it enough it was so. The whole seem had been pulled out somehow. If he or anyone were to put this own, it would fall off one shoulder. It was soaked too. The blood was clean though, which must have been the holy water's doing, but the holes were still singed from the burning of light spears.

Despite the blood now having been purified from the cloth, it didn't appear all that clean. There was no more muck or anything else staining it, but it still had a scent to it. _His scent_ , I should say.

. . .

. . .

*sniff*sniff*

That liar. It didn't smell as good as Aika-san claimed it did.

It still had his smell though, despite having been washed in holy water and salt which was most confusing. Perhaps there is a limit to what even holy water can do to a devil's stink.

. . .

*sniff*sniff*

. . .

. . . What the hel-, fu- . . . What the heck was I still doing?

* * *

On the eve of the day that I allowed for my . While I, **Father Willem Mertens** , made my necessary preparations for the early morning Sunday services the next day, Hanna was busy with her own work for God's cause.

I chose not to pry into the matters of what she spoke of and what her ultimate decision was. It was not my place to do so, and so I left myself in appropriate ignorance and chose to keep faith that my student was doing the morally right thing.

A report needed filling, but it was her choice whether it would be completed or incomplete, or even a compromise between the two if her heart was swayed to accept both halves and favour neither side half-heartedly.

The ninth hour had come and I had finished tidying our little place of worship below our home, and so I retired for the night, climbing the stairs twice to reach the rooms above the ground.

As I came to first floor, I decided to stop by and see if Hanna had taken to sleep from exhaustion, or if her work had carried her on even into the night. She had begun this after dinner at six, so three hours should have been a good lengthy time to fill out all the necessary titbits.

As I peered past the door, into the dark room illuminated by one desk lamp hanging over her working hands, I knocked twice after spotting that she was still awake.

The tapping surprised her, and she looked without a word before welcoming my intrusion with a nod. I stepped inside and waited until her hand had finally given up wielding the pen.

"This is as much as I can do. And now, there are no debts between us. [Red Dragon Emperor]."

I heard her whisper like she believed that no one but God could hear her, but it reached me by the door.

I took the filled out form into my hand, keeping an eye of my apprentice to see if she had any last minute protests to my actions and found none.

. . .

 **Report for Submission: Reference for Peoples of Possible Hostility**

 **Article Priority:** _Eighth Order_

 **Birth Name:** _Unknown_

 **Current Alias:** _Red Dragon Emperor_

 **Current Age Range** : _Mid to Late Teens_ (based on report from last confirmed deceased case file, see _LaMont, Charles_ )

 **Current Location:** _Unknown_

 **Last Known Location:** _Oyashi Island,_ _Eastern Japan_

 **Last Known Sighting:** _6th Oktober 2007_ (second hand account, Anon.)

 **Current Alignment:** _Devils_

 **Known Abilities and Equipment:** _Boosted Gear_ (Sacred Gear – Longinus classification)

 **Current Threat Level Known:** _N/a_

 **Evidence for Proof:** _Attached photograph taken of said individual_ (Camera model: Type-77 Diavocerca 2004) _. Devil clan sigil imprinted to left hand shown. Colour range singled to yellow hues. Specific clan is unknown due to dark quality of the room and therefore guesses may be inaccurate. As much of the information has only been confirmed via a second-hand source from a non-affiliate, the information is suggested to be taken without one hundred percent certainty. Identity of the information broker is granted anonymity for the protection of his/her identity with the reason that the presence of ten or more non-allied aligned supernatural beings with status classified as enemies_ (see: Clause 6: Paragraph 1 of the Protection of Identity to the Non-allied Affiliations Act 1957).

 **Signatory:** Hanna Lieselotte Blumhardt, East Asian United Christendom Frontier Branch – East Japan Division, formerly East German Lutheran Branch – Saxon Division.

. . .

Based on what I was reading, it would have appeared that we only had the same amount of information based on a single photograph over a week ago.

"Are you absolutely sure about this?"

She didn't answer. Obviously her heart was still in conflict with herself, and I could not blame there for being such great doubt washing over her; withholding information was akin to treason, even if she was filling everything with truth and not one single lie

"Absolve yourself, my child. You have done nothing wrong."

"I am about to betray the church. I am being selfish by-, no. Not selfish. I'm being so, so stupid. I let him get in my head in the spur of the moment, and now I don't even know if I am even doing this because I am selfish."

Her knees curled close to her body until her feet were sitting on her seat.

"What was it that Jesus taught us, above all other teachings?"

"Love thy neighbour?"

I pleased to hear some confidence in her answer despite muffling between her arms.

"To emphasise this parable" I continued as I knelt closer to her seated height, "he told the crowds a story of an injured man rejected by two of his countryman. One was a priest, and the other was a descendant of Levi, but both walked on without batting an eye to his distress. It was not his fellow Israelites who saved him, for was rescued by a Good Samaritan. Do you know the significance beyond its teachings?"

Many who actually get their eyes on any of the verses never delve deep into uncovering any more than what is necessary. Information has been the death of faith. In this time where so much information can be obtained at the tapping of one's fingertips, irreligiousness has been on the rise as contradictions in multiple sources have been brought up and not many people have the courage to answer back using that same logic.

Of course, the Bible was written by men. Men who long ago collected stories from multiple accounts and rewrote the words again and again.

I forwarded my right hand toward her right arm so that I could look her in the eyes by removing it from between our visions. I did this so when I was explaining this usefulness in fact and logic, which so many other mishandle and reinterpret to hold to their beliefs instead of adapting and expanding it.

"The Jews and the Samaritans were enemies. The two peoples despised each other, much like in the manner of the Israelites and the Philistines in the days of Samson or King David. The moral is that even enemies can show kindness."

I manoeuvred my right grip to her wrist and pulled her hand out so that I could clasp it between both of mine.

"I have known devils of all shapes and sizes: some with brain, others with brawn. Some like slug, and others like beasts. I even met one that half a bear and half a pig with pinkish flesh dotted in patches of thick brown fur. They all had the same goal when we came face to face; they would have killed me if I hadn't killed them first. Never, in all my years I have been with the church, have I ever been able to label a 'Good Devil'."

I could feel her hand grip between my own, into a fist that was shaking a little.

"You wonder why he didn't kill you while you were unconscious? Why he allied with you instead of turning on you the moment the both of you were disadvantaged? Why he brought you home and bandaged you up? Why when you knew his secret, he didn't kill you to protect it? Why instead of animalistic nature or demonic temptations, you could see an individual using reasoning?"

"He used to be human" she blurted out of nowhere, which caught me quite by surprised. "At least, that's what he was trying to make me believe."

I had suspicions, but now I have words of validity.

"And, do you?"

I waited to see if her head would shake or nod, but she did neither. "The church never taught us that devils could turn humans into their kind."

This was not new knowledge, indeed the church has known for quite some time. I myself am included in this short list. I was always aware that a hideous monster that I cut down and purify one day may have once been born human. Whether they suffered too long under the influence of devilish poisons that they lose themselves, or that as humans their own sins outweighed the capacity their human forms could take.

I do not know, what makes these reincarnated devils more monstrous than the real kind. But a hideous thing with no variable sign of divine intellect is nothing more than a rampant beast that must be put down for good.

"Was there any evidence to believe that he could be trusted?"

"The grave?" Her eyes squinted as she said it like she was suddenly not so confident. "I don't know. I don't even know if I am now looking back through a rose tint."

Her face was wet, though apart from the eyes the rest was probably the cause of burying her own face too close to her arm while breathing into it.

"Can I help you believe that your judgement in a person is justified?"

Hanna stared back a while, her eyes now more than ever hungry for guidance. As her elder and guardian, it was my duty to fulfil such enthusiasm to the best of my ableness in these matters.

I stuck my index finger from my right hand and pointed toward her, dragging my finger down along her left side until it hit one particular part of her body.

I only needed to point to her left hip. More specifically, to a cauterized scar that had formed over the last week. We had avoided the hospital or the doctors since this kind of injury was not something that would be left alone and settled once a man of medicinal science saw a wound that could not been properly explained within their bounds of reasoning.

That one simple scar, was all the proof I needed for my answer.

"A man was once walked toward a dying one's home, covered over in rocks, and said unto the man 'Lazarus, come out'. He asked not for compensation, nor to hold a favour over them, only that the man rise again and live."

I withdrew my hand, no longer was it needed anyways.

"That man was Jesus. And, before you interrupt the obvious, I am not saying that God has sent us a devil in place of his own son. I am not speaking from teachings, but from the heart; in this world where good and evil are as easy to come by as a flip of a coin, sometimes there is kindness where others would usually find cruelty. It's just a matter of what you believe."

I got up from one knee, and turned to leave her in the room to leave her to linger on that last thought. It was never my place to tell her what she should think. That was not the way I wished to teach my disciple. I encouraged her to evolve and grow on her own understanding.

I may push or nudge her occasionally, but that is one of the delights in being a teacher.

Besides, I now had some information I needed to ponder over myself.

'Have we found a 'Good Devil' in place of a Samaritan?'

But, I really must ask her why there was a torn shirt sitting in her desk while she works. Though, perhaps tomorrow when she is in a fresher mood.

* * *

The autumn term came and went quicker than most people would expect. For I, **Hyoudou Issei** , the winter holidays came after months of uneventful happenings after that incident with the fallen angels. The duties of the devil remained the same, pertaining contracts and eliminating strays that wandered into the urban areas or by another's request.

I didn't' see the exorcist Blumhardt again, except for a few passings by in the corridors, but I obviously had a call in from Sona to discuss the call-out during the school hours. More like an interrogation, but it was simply a matter of keeping the co-owner of the territory I was in informed so I was under obligation to comply. I had no problem with that and showed no quarrels with it either. I answered everything she asked; 'why we were meeting?', 'what were you discussing?', 'was any sensitive information exchanged between the two of you?', etc.

She was already informed via my report that I had made a temporary alliance with her during our confrontation with the fallen angel that attacked the two of us, but I left out the meeting at the cemetery and any discussion that may have pertained towards said meeting. Then again she never asked so there was not even a reason for lying.

Though if she had asked, I doubted I could have gotten away with it as easily as I had done. Even bending the truth or speaking truths in a roundabout way would have been caught out. I did not wish to compete wits with one as well educated and informed as the Sitri heiress of all people, no matter how confident I could have been.

I did fulfil my end of the deal, of course. The incident involving shirt was easily pacified with a few good words, and a bit of memory and persuasive meddling with magic. I didn't hear a peep after that, from the people with the rumour or from the exorcist, so it must have worked, thank the Maou.

Though, I realised then that I never did get my shirt back. I couldn't work up the initiative to retrieve it myself, and the more I thought on it, it appeared less and less significant that I risk so much for something I could have bought in the shopping district without the added holes. Plus, if I had done it in school hours, all the work might have come undone. Plus, another interrogation for why I had insisted on retrieving an article of clothing would have been too much for me to handle. I doubted I would maintain the same luck I had the first time.

I was now at nine contracts, which was only an improvement of two from my initial seven at the first week on the job. Not great, but then again it was also not bad since I didn't lose any of my previous ones. A positive was still better than a negative no matter how small the gains were. It was much easier on top of school once I managed to get Karuka to do the job on his own so that I could concentrate on external matters without having to ride my bike and do half the work myself.

Karuka was getting big really too quickly that his head was almost at the same height as my hips, where as he was at my knees at the beginning of the school year. Not so much a chicken, now more like cross between a pheasant and an osprey. But underneath those feathers, there were now reptilian scales more prevalent than before. Even a serpent's tail was beginning to poke beyond his tail feathers, and his fangs starting to outgrow his beak.

If his species had not been confirmed at birth, many would think he was one of the missing links between the birds and the dinosaurs.

Lucky for me, this little dinosaur was practically asking to be petted and treated with attention like a domesticated dog whenever he wasn't eating or playing on his own. The feathers were fluffier around the neck and even scales on his underbelly were spongey rather than sharp or armoured.

He was given a greater time to roam free after I brought him back to the Phenex household when the school term was finished. He often ventured if I paid him too little attention and then would pester someone else. More often than not, he would venture of to visit Lord Phenex's familiar Chol, in his room, which I sometimes caught in the corner of my eyes or when walking the corridors.

I, on the other hand, tried to avoid going into his room after what happened the first time around. I still can't face him after punching him like that.

I was a little jealous when I returned back to the Phenex household to find that Karuka had been pre-emptively summoned back before me and was getting petted left and right. I can't deny that his still childish softness was part of his charm, but really? Come one.

A week afterwards, my King finally came home, and this time I had no other plans, which meant that all the time of the holidays was for us. Ravel had finished her entire education, but I wouldn't be able to attend her graduation unless I managed to skip out on the exams week.

Though, I knew how the fukukaichou would react if I even brought up the intention as a hypothecial scenario, so I would not try and risk her wrath.

Then, before we knew it, Satanalia came again, and so did the parties. And so, were were here again just as it was last year when we sat at this very window watching the guest enter the household via the front walkway. Ddraig had agreed to retire early for the night so that Ravel and I could converse alone.

It also helped keep our identity a secret a bit longer if he didn't try to make communication between us. We had a better seal over Ddraig's presence than the last one the previous year, but there was no sense in taking chances. Not with so many high-class devils in attendance.

I was lucky enough that I could arrive and attend this year, which meant that I didn't have to wait up here staring from a fogging window at the highest floor. I must say that I was full of extreme nervousness just being given an opportunity to attend this year with many more devils. And, it's thanks to the omamori I received for my birthday this year. So long as i kept my distance from any of the more powerful heads, I should remain very well anonymous.

"Just another four months, and then you'll be going to the Overworld. Are you nervous?" I asked.

It had already been decided long ago that she would be joining me in Kuoh when she begins her high school level education in the Overworld, but I've already said that once. That was the whole . A trial run of sorts, which because I was easily able to deal with the most serious issue.

Not, that I told them I nearly got myself killed by not activating my Sacred Gear that is. Believe me, it took a while to convince Ddraig to keep his jaw shut on the subject.

"It will be fun to see the town you were born" she said, raising the glass of pomegranate-ade to her lips. After the issue with Dragon apple juice last year, we just stuck to more suitable drinks to our taste buds. "I only met you when you had relocated to Chiba, so I've never actually been there."

I took my own gulp of the drink, but I was almost finished. There was nothing quite like a local drink. Even if it was grown in a completely separate region of the Underworld.

"I'll show you around when you arrive. There isn't much, so we can cover the town within the day. Though the uphill climbs might be a bit rough at first."

"We'll work as hard as we can to get as many contracts as Rias and Sona. You, me, Karuka, and Azul."

I enjoyed that enthusiasm of hers. I truly have missed seeing that determined smile on her face.

While I was away, Ravel had gotten herself her own familiar as part of her final year in what would constitute as middle school in the Underworld. Rayzem's phoenix had laid an egg, and from that egg came Ravel's own little bird. She named him Azul, because his primary colour was blue which was a rare oddity in the usual range of reds and yellows and the occasional golden colours. It was unknown whether this shade would last, but for now at the size of a sparrow, he was Azul.

I dared not let him meet Karuka though, since my familiar was large enough now to consider him an evening snack. Plus, even he wouldn't turn down bird meat though fish may have been his favourite.

There was only a single term left between now and the end of the school year both here and in Japan which was convenient.

"The apartment is quite far from the academy though. You can sit behind me on my bicycle when we ride there every morning."

Her face went red that instant, but I didn't initially realise until what I said was repeated in head over again. Then I was suddenly red too when I visualised her holding around my chest while i peddle towards school. And all the students looking at the two of us. And . . . and . .

Then, it was an awkward silence.

Luckily for me, we had an interruption.

*Crash*

We turned our head out towards the hall, where a convenient metal cup rolled its way and hit the door frame. A few items of silver banged and collided with the floor, and the sound. I saw a pair of three toed feet run past the door whilst in the middle of moulting his feathers into a trail behind, which meant that my familiar had been the cause of this incident.

A maid popped by within sight of the door as she went to retrieve the last of the metal pots that she had been balancing between her arms.

"Sorry!" I shouted out to her, to which I nearly gave her another fright and made her drop all the items again. Thankfully, this was not the case.

"Not to worry, sir. It was my fault. Excuse me?"

It felt confusing being called 'sir'. None of the servants ever addressed me a sir. There was never any warranty for it since I wasn't a noble, nor was I a Knight. I then realised that I had never met that one servant before, so I asked Ravel about that.

"New maid?"

"Uh-hm. Octavia" she answered. "She came here from Grandfather's territory, under good reference of course."

"Oh" I replied. "Is Lord Algernon also here then?"

"No, not recently. He'll arrive in the following days. But, given the situation, he'll probably bring Sascha with him."

The person she was referring to was Sir Alexander Josef von Brandenburg-Stendal Ascania, or simply Sascha to everyone else, a pretty famous name given how long he had been serving. He was Lord Algernon's Captain of the Guard, and another high-class devil despite not owning a peerage of his own.

His father was the former Margrave of Brandenburg, the False Waldermar whose real name was Jakob Rehbuck. A commoner who made a deal with Handoran Malphas to steal the title of Margrave by taking the guise of a former lord in 1348. It lasted for two years until when the heir of the Lord Malphas was killed, and soon the false lord was deposed but was kept in some luxury at court in Anhalt where he died of natural causes in 1356.

His son whom we know as Sascha, born of a relationship between the false lord and the real lord's wife in 1349, was taken from him as hostage and forced to join the army when he came of age as compensation for his father's dealings. He was attacked with his battalion by a troop of angels fighting fallen near Berlin in 1392 when he was mortally wounded. He made a Knight of Two by Thallo Andrealphus, or whatever the precursor to Evil Pieces was in his times. After his King perished years ago, Sascha volunteered to not leave or enter another lord's peerage, but to remain with Lord Algernon as his Captain of his personal retinue.

I hadn't met him at all in my time that Lord Algernon has visited here or whenever I was accompanying Ravel to see her maternal grandfather, but his reputation exceeded him wherever he was spoken of. I did see a small theatre troupe that were advertising a one-off performance from a novice writer's play based on one particular instance in the man's life.

"Ode to Celestia" it was called, but I never got the chance to see it, and it wasn't big enough that it was ever properly reviewed.

He wasn't a social person from how Ravel and others had previously described him, so to hear that he was indeed coming especially to the Phenex household of all places meant that this was not a simple house call to be bringing in a seasoned general by his side.

"I don't like the sound of that tone" I said. "I-Is there something amiss?"

Her eyes turned from me and set upon the wintery landscape that only stretched the front gardens. I wondered what she was seeing when the specially magic=crafted snowflakes fell upon the lawn that she needed to stare out for so long, or the rows upon rows of botany that still survived the frosty bite.

Then her lips moved. One word.

"War."

My eyes widened at the sound of that word touching my ears. I almost dropped my own glass when I felt my hand go slack as the sensation passed through my body.

". . . E-e-e . . Excuse me?"

"Oh, sorry!" she replied frantically, waving her arms as if to signal a misinterpretation in communications. "I-It's not literally war. Well, . . . not yet anyways. This is all just preparations for one."

Prepations?

"Why are we preparing for war? What of the armistice?"

My biggest fear of course was that I may have been the cause for war prematurely restarting after all this time. Maybe I was thinking a little too highly of myself, since realistically the Three Factions wouldn't undo two centuries of armistice for one person. Not even me.

"From what we've been hearing, the Grigori is crumbling."

"You're saying that . . . "

She shook her head before I could finish.

"It's not just that. That's just the minor issue. The major one is where they are going."

"Where are the-" I had to sop when a though came to my head. "Are they preparing for an invasion? Even after so many fell on the fields of Apollyon? Does a demilitarized boundary no longer hold meaning?"

In general history, it was established that during the fall and the rise of the Girgori, the fallen angels too took refuge in the underworld. However, this was one of those times where the enemy of my enemy was also my enemy. The fallen and the devils fought a bloodied war for territory, and the major battles stood out especially on the territory of Alvilag as an image almost akin to the human's Battle of the Somme;

Rows upon rows of bodies bloodied the grass until they simply grew red stalks and blades. Both Kashim Asmodeus, [Maou of Military Affairs], and Gadreel, [Cadre of Warfare], sent thousands of their own people, and hundreds of thousands of denizens who had naturally resided in the Underworld a millennia before devils or fallen angels, to die over a territory wrought of nought but empty grass fields that carried out farther than fifty consecutive eyes sights could reach. Neither side won the frontier, and only the signing of a demilitarization between the territories was there an end to the death, though only on Alvilag.

But, neither the Maou nor the Cadre would die on this battlefield, but ironically against each other in a battle in the later future.

The region was split into two down the River Fene, with the devils gaining everything on the east bank, which they renamed Apollyon, and the fallen gaining the west which they named Azazael and founded their capital of Girgor to watch over the field. Indirectly, this peace gave rise to the Order of the Girgori who became the de-facto leaders of the fallen angel's nation. And while there is an armistice between our two factions, it is clear why two viceroyalties were raised directly at the border between the two regions.

What neither side really considered when dividing the land was where they had indirectly cut off their own peoples on the opposing sides of the bank. That of course explains why Lord Alsiel can make blessed silver and remain unharmed, not to mention why his wings are still feathered. But that also means that devils ended up under fallen occupation through no fault of their own. No one ever speaks of it though, and no one knows what became of them.

"No. that's the predicament" she continued. "We don't know where they went, and it's not only the Grigori. It isn't even just our Three Fractions with the same problem. A lot of people from every group seems to be vanishing without the authorisation of their respective leaders. The Aesir, the Olympians, the Devas, all of them are losing suspicious characters. It's not that we are at war. But, we are expecting war very soon."

Everyone in the older generations knew of war. It was why we had the hereditary titles, the legions. Especially the legions, still compulsorily conscripted from the ranks of lower and middle-class devils.

Lord Rivalen was the commander of twenty legions of devils, though the ranks in present day were mostly filled by the low and middle-class as well as reincarnated and half-bloods whom the Old Kings faction would never consider to fit the definition. The first four or six legions were captained from a hereditary position passed down by branch family members, either second or third children and/or those of illegitimate origins from previous heads. Iqem Pheynix, Tsuzenno Phoeniex, Yobuat Fenix, Lobmaldy Theonecks. They were only a few that I was aware of, all who bore slightly altered surnames to display their descent while also signifying that they were not part of the main family.

In the future, when Lord Ruval becomes the next head with an heir of his own, his remaining siblings would have to change their surnames at some point to distinguish themselves separately from the new main branch within a few decades or so. Rayzem could probably be allowed to keep his name so long as Ramarh and Riana took the Murmur clan name from Zemele should Ramarh ever be granted the title of [Duke of Murmur]. Riser will take the Gremory name as he is marrying the current heiress Rias, and Ravel would likely take her husband's . . . name in the future before all . . . thi- . . .

*ahem* Sorry, I suddenly lost my trail of thought there. Excuse me for that. Uh . . .

Th-there were talks decades or centuries back that had been brought to attention over the matter of refilling the remaining clans; the debate had been divided between giving it to the half-devils who were legal descendants of the previous heads who had already perished, or to give them to the branch family members who were in command of one or more of the family legions. The outcome, was indecisive;

The arguments solely lay on the issue regarding blood purity, as did everything. When Maooujo Lilith perished in AM 4968 or 1208 CE, it sparked an end to the viable recruitment of new devils and so now the retention of pure-blood devils became almost a necessity unlike how it had been during her lifetime. In the past, had a half-blood devil needed to succeed, his ascension would be backed by a ceremony in which he would intake her blood as his ancestor had and he too would have been pure-blood. This was the only exception in the Old Maou's day to allow half-devils to become whole.

The only instance that I could recall was the ceremony for inducting the late Lord Rhaikard Vapula, the father of the current Lord Jiorcarmin, [6th Duke of Vapula], and whom I also believe was the grandfather of the current Bael heir, Sairaorg. They were only words, but rather hideous ones citing his original impurity for his grandson's lack of demonic magic. Nasty sorts of whispers.

But now, when it came to producing children of pure devil descent, there no longer this safety line for succession, and this was the cause of the extinction of thirty-nine families from the pillars, and four exterminations also. While a branch family member who had been raised and trained in the underworld was preferable, they had been left unmonitored in regards to with whom their descendants would be born from, and so while many claimed to still be as pure as the main branch, their roots were questioned to the point that half-bloods were seen by some to be more devil than the branch candidates.

I cannot speak for either side as I am without devil blood entirely, but it is for this among many reasons why it has taken so long to even approach the reasons toward succession. And not even members within the Old Kings and New Maou factions can even agree internally which side they will take, save of course for Sairaorg Bael who has seemingly raised his flag to rally the half-bloods to his banner.

"What was that exorcist called again?"

I blinked two times as my thoughts were snapped from me as the subject suddenly changed hands.

"Hmm? Y-y-You mean the one with the . . . "

I stopped before finishing and made a gesture as if to take a picture with a camera, to which Ravel nodded in response.

I had already told her everything that had happened, but this was one secret that not even her parents were aware of. Or, at least I hoped that they would never find out about. I didn't wish to think what form of punishment I would get for the many number of things that had happened. Forget simple cooperation, I had let a potential enemy discover my secret when the rest of the Underworld was still relatively clueless.

"Blumhardt. Hanna Blumhardt, unless that was just a school alias of hers."

Her hand placed itself beneath her chin when she heard that name come up. Her mouth mulled over that name for a while before a sound emerged.

"Blumhardt?"

"Hmm? What?"

I didn't get an answer as she quickly turned back towards me.

"You said she is an exorcist, and that she is German."

My eyes looked over the room for a short glance when she asked me that while verified my own memory before committing to my own words.

"Y-yes. w-Why?"

Her hand left her face as she proceeded to her explanation.

"In 1850, the title of [Strongest Exorcist] was awarded to a Johann Christoph Blumhardt, supposedly for exorcising a SS-Class demonic possession in two years. In reality, it was a two year manhunt of one hundred strays and a Stray King."

Both my eyebrows rose over my forehead when I heard that. I then suddenly clicked why she suddenly found it so interesting that she needed to share this little piece of history.

"You think they're related?"

She nodded, but it wasn't as confident as it used to be. Maybe because we had both grown and matured that her initial absolute assuredness in her answers even when they turned out later to be wrong was more hesitant to be definitive.

"Possibly. What was that title you said the fallen angel called her?"

I racked my brain around for that answer, but I only heard it that once and it didn't come back to me immediately. I scratched at my hair, but I couldn't remember it precisely. It didn't help that it was a midsentence change in linguistics, so not even my Evil Pieces could tell me what that fallen angel had said precisely.

"I don't recall exactly." I snapped my fingers repeatedly in vain trying to reconnect that memory. "Um, maybe something like . . . Christus . . . bearvorten? Something like that."

"[Christibefürworten?]"

I was stunned when she said it aloud. It was only then when it suddenly clicked.

"Yes. That's it. How did you know?"

I really should not have been questioning her intelligence. Even when we were younger, her interest were mostly focused in reading and especially in history, so it made perfect sense that in some scripture that she would have found that name and remembered it.

In the library on the first basement floor of the Phenex household, there is a whole bookshelf that Ravel has already read through, and that included both sides and all nine shelves of them. From the creation of the old Canaan up until the great armistice, she had read it.

"Johann Blumhardt had a saying, sort of like a war cry according to the chronicles; 'Jesus ist Sieger', aka 'Jesus is the victor'. That was his motto he carried into battle, whether it was against the devils or anything else he would fight against. His son, Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt used 'Jesus Christus, dem Siegeshelden' or 'Jesus Christ, our Saviour'."

"I see."

She shook her head a little and struck her hand in the air.

"The point is that both of these men were very influential in their times. So much so that they were named [Christibefürworten] or 'Champion of Christ' by the church leaders. It became a familial title passed down from holder to heir essentially."

My eyes widened a little more at the realisation.

"You mean . . . that the Blumhardt I met is their descendant?"

Her shoulder shrugged, but she seemed so much more certain this time than previously.

"She bears the title, so she is at least descended from the first. She is also the only heir to a very short legacy."

"Is that so."

We said nothing after that, and then the silence crept in and it was awkward.

I didn't realise how hard this was. When the two of us were younger, this never used to happen. If it went silent, then we would strike up a new conversation all on our own, but now we had nothing to say.

I heard a clap, and I turned to see Ravel with her hands together. The look on her face was determined, but I wasn't initially aware of what she wanted. She turned her whole body and faced me completely straight.

"Issei. There's something I need to tell you."

"R-ravel?"

Her lips stuttered, but then without another hesitation, she placed both of her hands out in front of her, and looked me right into my eyes.

"Give me your hand."

I didn't initially realise what she wanted to do, so I freely offered her my left, which she then grasped between both of her and then pulled it closer. Only when it started pressing against her collar did I then suddenly realise where my hand was going.

I felt a pulse. But, it wasn't her heart.

No, I could feel her heart. That was what I then found strange. A second heartbeat.

No.

I knew instantly what that was. I had eight like those imbedded into my own chest. Not the same, but not too different from my own.

"Is. Is that?"

She nodded before I could say anything else. It was an Evil Piece. My King, Ravel had an Evil Piece inside of her. She was a peerage member, and I hadn't known about it despite having been with her for two weeks now. She never said a thing until now.

I wanted to say something, but she cut me off before then.

"I questioned-, no. I rationalised what I needed to do in order to be a good King. I lack the experience to properly command and direct you if we ever had to fight a stray, or compete in a Rating game on our own. I asked Riser to make me his Bishop so that I could learn that first hand."

My hand was still fixed to her . . . lower neck area, but her fingers started to dig into my bones. They trembled a little as well, and I could feel her real heart increasing a little in pace. Her eyes started drifting further and further down.

"I did this because as your King, I'm responsible for the both of us. If I lead you blindly into a fight that I knew we couldn't win when we could have easily escaped, then I wouldn't' know what to do with myself. I wouldn't know what to do if I lost you, because of a mistake I-"

"Ravel."

Her arms were really shaking now. Her eyes no longer maintained contact, when a small drop of water hit my skin. I looked as it rolled off my wrist and then vanish in the shade between our two bodies. There wasn't a sniffle or a gas her air, but that was clearly a tear I had no doubt of that.

Did she think she was being selfish for not telling me all this before? Was this guilt? Was I missing something here? I do not know, and I don't even think I tried to contemplate what she feeling the need to cry over. I just felt a gut hatred for seeing her cry like this. It was hideous to see her upset that I wanted her to stop.

With free hand, I reached out and cupped her face in my right palm, stroking away a falling tear with my thumb before she realised that I had placed it there.

Her eye looked into me rather than below me, and continued stroking the left side of her soft, peach-like face. In the softest tone I could muster, looking deep as I could at her, I said to her.

"Please. Don't cry, Rei-chan."

"Ise."

"Am I interrupting?"

Our eyes turned from each other hastily when a third voice called out to us. In panic we turned and saw the interrupter standing there at the doorway with one hand against the door. I cannot say with certainty if he knocked before speaking, but his posture suggested as such to our embarrassment.

Eyes like a storm, with smoky grey fogging over a dark blue rainy sky. It was like seeing the very eyes of a typhoon when you stared into it. His hair matched the picture; mostly cut and cropped like a military style length, but kept some individuality to his character with several overgrown strands layering his forehead and around the edges of his ear. Every strand was as dark as the night, with a few silver streaks that only showed his experience.

From head to toe, his uniform was metal plating over chain with a sword strapped to his left side. His armour looked very similar to Lord Ruval's which he wore for his Rating Games, except less ornate with every piece of protection prioritizing flexibility and guarding the more important areas of his body. It was functional, and that was all that counted. It was also blue and white instead of black and gold, and it was more obvious that this man's armour have been scarred with age and wounds that cut through the metal.

"My apologies, but your mother requests your presence. The main festivities are to start."

Ravel straightened herself out quicker than I and grabbed both her own hands before placing them in front of herself.

"Oh, sorry Sascha. We'll be down soon."

Sascha? My eyes widened and my jaw fell when I suddenly realised whom we had just seen. I didn't think how odd it was that he had arrived since Lord Algernon himself had not come this year since I was caught up in his aura.

It was not a physical aura like how you could feel the strength in power when in the presence of any of the Maou or an ultimate-class devil. No, this was just his person, his character and composure that exuded.

I saw his eyes stare over the room. Once or twice they looked over directly in our direction and all up and down the two of us which put my all of my motions on edge as I felt uncomfortable in any position I left my hands or my arms of even my posture that I kept having to change it too frequently. I felt very flushed too which probably didn't help anything.

However, he said nothing. He simple nodded and then he did nothing else but proceed to leave.

When he turned and left the room, the only thing that remained apart from Ravel and I, was the lingering silence and awkwardness of the situation before. When our eyes met again, it suddenly felt like two magnets repelling each other when he spun away almost the same time they locked sights.

It felt like an odd conundrum the both of us were in; I wanted to look in her direction and I could feel her gaze occasionally burn my side then retreat quickly afterwards. I wanted to, but then the emotion was overwhelming to the point that I couldn't keep my gaze there.

My hand still shook as if I was feeling her- Gah! Sorry. Nevermind. Forget it!

Luckily for me, Ravel was the one who attempted to end this. She cleared her throat, and tried to maintain face while her cheeks will still so beetroot coloured.

"Ok, s-s-s-so we've both done something . . eh, stupid and out of our minds. *ahem* As your King, I command that we call it even and leave it at that."

For some, unknown and bizarre reason that caught me in the moment, a switch in my brain clicked and I felt the urge to tease her.

In the manner of an over the top actor, I took to one knee and grabbed her hand while she looked o in complete embarrassment. I can't say what my face looked like, but I tried making it look as , and I said to her.

"Yes, my princess."

Perhaps it was my own embarrassment that forced me to suddenly act like that, but the awkwardness faded and now it was as if it never came about.

What made it funnier, was how Ravel reacted; she responded quickly as I leaned in close to kiss her hand, snatching it back away and then tried with all her might to hit me with the undersides of her hands to force me to stop.

"Don't call me that! It's embarrassing."

In the most over the top performance I could perform, I stood to my feet and I flailed my arm and stood at my toes before bowing and proclaiming aloud; "Hai, O-himesama!"

She hit me again of course, but now she was redder than I had ever seen her before. Had she been an anime character, her ears would have exhausted steam like a tea kettle. That only made my reactions worse because it had become too much fun to stop while I was already ahead of myself.

"Don't, you're making it worse! That's it, you're getting your punishment now!"

"All is even. You commanded it. Doesn't count anymore."

She stuttered a little when I waggled my finger like an anthropomorphised blue hedgehog, but she didn't stop.

"I-I un-command it! Suffer and take your punishment!"

She leapt at me when my back was turned and somehow ended up hanging by my neck. Her grip was strong, but not enough to strangle me. When I felt a sudden rise in heat, I assumed when was trying to incinerate me. I could only chuckle at the notion.

"You know flames are going to be that effective against me, Ravel"

"No. That's right. But I know you have a weak spot; the nape below your armpit is susceptibly ticklish."

I went cold instantly, when her grip changed to only a single hand and the missing right swung around and dug into my hip. It felt like a few bolts of electricity, before suddenly I felt my nerves being overpowered and my knees were getting weak and I almost toppled to my front.

"Wait! No!"

"Hu-hahaha! I've got you now! I've finally tamed you, you immature dragon!"

I was now losing breath, and with that any retort that I had to follow up with. My knees touched the ground as suddenly I was caught in a torrent of my own laughter.

"Na-hahahahahahah-stopuahahahah. No cu-hahahaha-t it out-ahahahaha!"

I rolled around, but avoided deliberately rolling over her, as she two was laughing at my sudden weakness. Our good clothes were messed up, but that didn't matter either of us in the least. I remember trying to get my own back, but she got off me and ran before I could catch her, so I followed after her with haste.

Her laughter and own taunting created a trail from which I followed after, laughing at my own pace.

I was now reaping my own rewards, as I jogged through the halls with my lungs bruning and knees still weak from hitting the floor. But, I look back fondly on that memory, and I don't even remember vaguely what the rest of the part was like. That moment, when the two of us acted so immature, I remembered most fondly about that evening as the night drew further and further in.

As all in the church began to settle in for the night, a flash of lightning broke out in the cloudy sky.

* * *

I, **Asia Argento** , awoke as the light crossed over my window. The window wasn't big, but it was enough that everything became bright in my own little secluded place. I awoke in a fright as the thunder cracked afterwards.

I had no clock in my room, so I could not tell the time. It was still dark, so I knew it was still night. No one else was awake either, so they must have been sleeping.

With the rain still striking the ground, and the storm stretching on, I could not fall back to sleep. I had already said my prayers before I went to bed, and I was uncertain if there was a protocol for repeating it after awaking at night.

I looked around my room, but my few possessions only included the clothes I wore on my back for day and night, a cup for which I had permission to fill with water between 6 am and 8 pm, and a dog's collar which I could not bear to bury five months ago. I was grateful the Father didn't ask me to yield it and allowed me to keep it at my bedside.

Yes. I loved it here, and everyone was so kind.

I had been at this church for as long as I can remember. By God's grace, I was left at the steps of this church when I was a babe and the clergy who served here took me in. As there was no formal orphanage, I was looked after by the nuns and by the priest who oversaw service. Serving God has been my lot in life, and I have never wanted anything more than that.

I am glad to have been in God's service, especially on that day six years ago; I remember a crowd gathering in the streets and circling round. I walked through the people to see a poor innocent puppy lying half-alive and terribly injured there.

I prayed to God to spare its life, offering everything I had unto him to show this puppy mercy. And God heard my prayers by giving me the power to heal him. His dislocated back leg was fixed and the terrible cuts to its right side were fixed up in seconds.

He was so happy to be healed that he jumped at me to give me a kiss on the cheek. He was named Lazzaro, after Saint Lazarus whom Jesus himself brought back from the brink of death.

He is gone now unfortunately. His stomach started twisting, and even after I healed him nights and nights over, the Father of the church told me that I could do no more and it was simply God telling us that it was his time to enter heaven. I went with the Father to the veterinarian so that he could pass on in peace, and stroked his fur until he finally went to sleep.

We buried him near the entrance where he used to lay in the shade from the sun after midday had passed. I knew he would have liked that.

People came here to seek my healing hand whenever it was needed, and I was more than happy to help all those in need. Even those who were not part of our denomination, and some who even prayed to God in a different name, I would not turn them away.

This was not for monetary gain, for that was not why God bestowed this power unto me. He wished for the sick to be healed, and I would pray each and every day how grateful I was that he had granted this divine task unto me.

I have helped so many people, and seeing their smiles of gratitude was all the thanks I could ever need.

*SMACK*

I nearly squealed when something smacked the glass.

The glass wasn't broken, but it was such a loud smack that despite the hard impact had to have been made by something soft as well.

The only thought that came to my head came from my own memories. I thought it must have been a bird. And suddenly I was scared that a bird had flown in this direction looking for shelter and then killed itself when it unexpectedly hit the glass. If it wasn't dead, then it must have broken its wing on the collision.

I couldn't knowingly go back to sleep after a poor little bird injured itself hitting at my window. Not in this weather, in this cold. If it could not fly, then it would surely die. Some of the animals that lived around here would not show it the kindness it

The Lord made its plight heard when it struck my window. In all good conscience, I would not leave it be when I was gifted to help it.

The Father who oversaw the church had a coat for when he needed to perform funerals in the rain. I was sure the Lord would forgive me for borrowing this piece of clothing to save a bird. I had nothing waterproof to walk in, so I had to make do with the shoes I always wore.

Even if they become muddy, I will clean them again before returning to bed. And if there's no time before first light, the nuns will not punish me too harshly for saving one of God's creatures.

I opened the door, and the sound of the rain was greater than it had been behind the windows. The view ahead was blocked by a wall of falling rain and the darkness enveloped it even more. I took a torch from the Father's coat pocket and switched it on.

As I stepped into the cold, the rain started beating my head through the hood, and the splashing beneath crawled just below my knees while my shoes became moist like sponges stepping into the puddles at the bottom of the steps.

*FLASH*

I froze while I waited for the thunder, which was only five elephants away now where it had been eight when I first woke up.

I took more steps whilst I kept my light low to the floor and away from the windows as to not wake anyone if at all possible. I counted up to twelve steps as I walked further into the dark. I nearly slipped on the mud, but remained on my feet with heaven's graces.

Then, before my thirteenth step, a voice called out from the night.

"Please. Someone he- *blech*"

I shone my light further up and I could see not a bird, but a figure in the mud.

As I stepped in closer, I could see him more clearly; his face half covered din mud with his hand outreaching towards the flashes of light of my torch in hand.

"You poor man. I'm here."

I knelt down to his side as I put the torch to one side. His eyes looked near dead and black as they weakly looked on at me.

"Are you . . . the [Holy Sister]? The one with the healing hand of God?"

"Please, save your energy. Where are you hurt?"

He rolled to his back and I covered my hands in shock at what I saw; a saltire of Saint Andrew scratched across his chest like someone marked an 'X' on his body with a large blade. He winced, and from the area still caught under torch light, there was a small layer of steam like the wound was physically burning him.

"Oh Lord, please spare him from pain."

As I made a small prayer, his pain only increased as one of his hands took hold of his head. I became startled as he groaned in agony in the cold. My knees were now like ice in the cold mud, but that didn't matter to me as I looked at this man's injuries. His skin was so pale, so I thought I had to act fast.

'Exodus 15.26' I concentrated on as I traced into my memories of the good book. The passage came to me and I clasped my hands together looking towards the clouded view of heaven even as the rain started to hit my face.

" _and He said: 'If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His eyes, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD that healeth thee'_."

The whole time I was thinking that I had to hurry; from my point of view, the poor man looked to be in even more pain than when he first arrived. With another one of his free hands, he was grappling with his head like he had taken a cut their. The mud was now covering more of his face as it splattered in the rain over both him and me.

I could only hope that my prayer brought him some comfort as he lay in the mud in so much distress.

It was very strange when I looked at his head later and there was nothing external that I could treat. I had to conclude upon inspection that it was a migraine that came and went. But still, it was very odd at the time.

"{Yahweh-Rapha}."

My prayer was answered as it always was, and the Lord's holy green light emitted from my hands as two silver rings appeared again on my fingers.

But . . .

'A scar?'

This was the first time that it had ever happened. The wound rather than vanishing completely was now marked across his skin.

How? This had never happened before. I used God's gift to help people, and they had never left a mark like this before. There should have been nothing there. This was not what I intended at all.

In spite of that, his injury was no longer there. So, it was a blessing even with this mark.

He could move now, and his pain had appeared to have been removed with my help, but I couldn't look at him. Not, after leaving such a horrid thing on his chest when I should have been able to fix it with God's aid.

I felt so ashamed of myself for having taken so long to reach him. This had to have been my fault somehow, even when God was so kind enough to still bestow upon me the power to make his wound no more.

"I'm sorry."

I whimpered apologetically, with my hand digging and grabbing into the waterlogged soil.

"For what?"

His voice was softer now. There was not an ounce of pain in his tone.

"That scar on your chest. I'm sorry you have that mark. I should have gotten rid of it. I can only blame my lack of faith that you must now bear this reminder of your wound. I'm so sorry that I can never make this up to you."

He pressed his hand against my face, and another went to my hands tater were cuffed and buried in my habit. His hands were clean now, but they were still quite cold like they had never been warmed to begin with. It prickled my cheek when it made contact, but his soft face made me less stunned by its approach.

"Don't ruin these lovely healing hands by rubbing them with mud. Don't ruin those perfectly untainted eyes with wasteful tears. Men need scars, and this one is pretty manly, don't you think?"

All his words were trying to comfort me. His expressions were so soft that I couldn't

"If it weren't for those hands of yours, then I would have probably died here in the rain. I will wear this scar like a badge of honour in your name, blessed maiden Asia."

His lips touched my hands, and I strangely felt so warm from his kiss that the tingling of cold from earlier seemed to vanish with it.

He grunted a little, but he was able to stand to his feet without slipping in the inches of puddles now forming on the ground. When he was able to stand up straight, he looked up at the sky with a deep breath and a smile. I couldn't help but feel relieved that he was no longer in pain.

When he looked down, even with the rest of his face now covered in the shade, he looked so relieved that it put me at immediate ease. And then, his back started shifting, like something was about to emerge.

"Thank you so very much, Asia Argento."

His light features and non-threatening tone, I was sure that when I saw wings emerge from his back that he was an angel who had lost his way from heaven.

But, they were not.

Big black leathery wings grew from his lower spine and curled behind his body like a crown of thorns. Despite his fair appearance and kindly manners, I could not take my eyes away from how dark his wings were that I was questioning whether I should even be breathing.

"You, who have shown me kindness can ask any favour of me, if it is within my power the next we meet. I swear it in the name of my brother, the Great Satan called Beelzebub, I will repay you with the same kindness you have shown me this day."

*FLASH*CRASH*

As he stood over me, with the lightning flashing behind him, I felt no strength in my legs to stand out of the mud biting at my knees.

I felt a deep pit swallow up my stomach as I continued looking into his softly closed eyes.

"Wait. You're a . . . a devil?"

* * *

 **Territories of the Underworld**

 **Part 1: The Great Devil's Kingdom** aka **Pandaemonium**

In the times of Ancient Canaan, when Elyon was [King of the Zophasemin], the pantheon of Levantine gods, the underworld was ruled by the [Lord of Death], Mot, who was the third son of Elyon. In olden days, after a yearly cycle of plotting where Yahm, [Lord of the Sea] and second son of Elyon tried and failed to overthrow their elder brother, Hadad [Lord of the Sky], it fell unto Mot to finish the deed to send the world into winter. However, while in the land of the dead, Hadad would defeat Mot and re-ascend back to the realms of the living, to bring spring back to the world. And thus it always would have been for millenias to come.

However, following the death of Elyon after an insatiable lack of worship caused his very existence to fade and slowly die, Yahm stole his chance for the title of [King] by killing his eldest brother, and assuming the throne. When Mot came to overthrow him, he too was defeated and his rule of the underworld thus came to an end also. When he was done with his brother, Yahm too killed his younger kin, with the twins Shahar and Shalim, the [Lord of Dawn and Dusk], and then with Shapesh, the [Lady of the Sun]. With the death of his eldest brother and four eldest of his younger siblings, Yahm's reign looked to be secured.

That is, until the rise of his youngest brother, the seventh son of Elyon, Attar, [Lord of the Morning Star], who with many of the displeased gods led open rebellion against Yahm, but were ultimately defeated and were forced to flee to the abandoned lands once ruled by Mot. The surviving gods, Attar, Litanu (later Anat), Ekron and Aeshma Daeva (later Kashim), would become the founders of the devil race by ingesting the blood of Attar's wife Lilith, who thus became the [Mother of all Devils]. Taking the personal surnames Lucifer, Leviathan, Beelzebub and Asmodeus, they established a new home for their people in the deepest layers under the earth where they could one day hope to retake their heavenly domain back from the usurper Yahm.

The large region of the underworld formerly governed by Mot was originally known as Mavet, but was then afterwards divided among the new Four Great Satans as a personal region of control and administrate over without conflicting with each other's handlings in general affairs;

The first territory, **Gehenna** , was ruled by Attar Lucifer, who built a great city called Lucifaad over the ruins of Mot's keep. It was deemed the greatest city in all the Underworld, and became the de-facto capital of the entire devil realms. Governance and law were prominently made and unmade in this capital, and the Grand Court of Lucifaad is still located here to this day and where many criminals are tried and sentenced. After the death of Maou Attar, and the expelling of his descendants, much of the original lands that were held under the Lucifer clan's direct rule was divided up into smaller holdings for newer devils, including the Baronys of Lucifugus and Pheles among others. Lucifaad was created into a Free City state with the current Maou Lucifer, Sirzechs Gremory directly ruling over it as his predecessor had done for three millennia before. Other prominent lands include the Kingdom of Bael, Kingdom of Buer, Principality of Vassago, Archduchy of Agares, Duchy of Valefor, Duchy of Barbatos, Marq of Amon, Marq of Samigina, and Earldom of Marbas.

The second territory, **Tehom** , was ruled by Ekron Beelzebub, following the construction of Beelzeyav to act as the administrative capital of the region, and as a place from which he constructed both a great library with texts collected from every region above ground that could have been lost to history, and a greater workshop from which many innovations are forged daily. The University of Beelzeyav serves as a school for all the high and middle-class devils from six year to sixteen years, and only those who choose a career solely in the Underworld may continue to a minimum of twenty-one. However, like the fate of Lucifaad, much of its original territories have been reduced to allow for the raising of new Baronys, including Belphegor, Mammon and Zephon. The small Free City is not prominently governed by the current Maou Beelzebub, Ajuka Astaroth. Other prominent lands include the Kingdom of Paimon, Kingdom of Zagan, Principality of Sitri, Principality of Seere, Duchy of Dantalion, Duchy of Gusion, Marq of Decarabia, County of Andromalius, and Earldom of Buer. The former Kingdom of Amayon was located here.

The third territory, **Tophet** , was ruled by Anat Leviathan, constructed the city of Leviadina on an isolated island in between where two great lakes meet; Tolylixl (the Red Lake) to the west and Tolypoyl (the Blue Lake) to the east. Common misconception believe the names originate transition from the sunrise to sunset which give the lakes their distinctive colours when it would have supposedly levelled with the horizon, however the true origin predates the introduction of the artificial sun, and so the mystery continues. As the capital of foreign policy, Leviadina served as a meeting point between ambassadors of devils houses as well as other factions by offering a place of isolation and tranquillity from the public eyes. Even in present day, the city serves as a place of relaxing lesiures under the current Maou Leviathan, Serafall Sitri. Out of some of the former lands, the Baronys of Nahemah and Baphomet were created. Other prominent lands include the Kingdom of Belial, Kingdom of Balam, Principality of Orobas, Duchy of Alloces, Duchy of Gremory, Duchy of Vapula, Duchy of Murmur, Marq of Orias, Earldom of Caim, Earldom of Amy, and Earldom of Ose. The former Kingdom of Ziminar was located here.

The fourth territory, **Tzoah Rotachet** , was ruled by Kashim Asmodeus, from his city of Asmadadan into the side of mountain where many mines were built to excavate the many minerals lying beneath the ground. The surrounding lands are dedicated to the conscription and training of armies of the Maou from many low and middle-class devil families. High-class devils are recruited as officers and commanders after passing secular examination in Beelzeyav. Even after the old Maou families were driven to exile, the tradition of recruitment was maintain as a way for many low and middle-class devils to receive social promotions. Other prominent lands include the Kingdom of Purson, Kingdom of Asmoday, Principality of Ipos, Duchy of Aim, Duchy of Berith, Duchy of Astaroth, Duchy of Buné, Marq of Naberios, Marq of Ronové, Marq of Forneus, County of Marax, Earldom of Glasya-Labolas, and Earldom of Foras. The former Kingdom of Corson was located here.

After generations of devils continued to war not just with the angels and fallen angels, but with many of the other residents of the Underworld, a growing frontier was formed and many families relocated from their initial holdings to create new territories with prominent populations;

The fifth territory, **Eunoe** , which also gave its name to the river running through it, was the first colony and later region established by the Maou. The city of Lilith was built at the source of the River Eunoe, serving as a spiritual city and the de-jure capital of the devil realms until after the civil war where it became the official capital as a neutral territory away from the rule of the Maou. The city is solely governed by an elected representative every twenty years from among the low and middle-class devils to maintain administrative duties, but who answers to the Maou when they meet to discuss matters of state. The Forest of Familiars is located here, covering a large chunk of the territory. And to the mountain range lies the Viceroyalty of Tannin, where a grove of Dragon Apples are grown in the fertile soils at the basin between seven inactive volcanoes. Other prominent lands include the Kingdom of Vine, Principality of Gaap, Duchy of Flauros, Duchy of Amdusias, Marq of Phenex, Marq of Andras, Marq of Andrealphus, Marq of Kimaris and Earldom of Valac. The former Kingdom of Pruflas is locate here. The lands are natively inhabited by groups of demons including the concubi (incubi and succubi), who have largely become integrated as citizens after the Devil Civil War.

The sixth territory, **Inferno** , was formed by lands seized from the Roman pantheon territory of Avernus. Its capital Diapoli lies within the Viceroyalty of Flamel, but the Viceroy holds no political control over the city itself which functions similarly as Lilith does. As a major tourism region after Tophet, it boasts a very humid climate with many onsens located in the boiling lakes scattered throughout the region. Other prominent lands include the Principality of Stolas, Duchy of Focalor, Duchy of Vepar, Marq of Marchosias, Marq of Sabnock, Marq of Shax, County of Furfur, County of Halphas, County of Räum, and Earldom of Malphas. The first true prison and torture palace within the devil occupied regions was located here until it was delegated as a public hospital when the criminals were transferred to Malebolge and Phlegethon.

The seventh territory, **Dis** , named after the City of Dis governed by the Barony of Alsiel, was another region annexed from Avernus. Mostly a desolate wasteland with little growth, the main industry of mining and masonry became a rival for the old mines in Tzoah Rotachet, leading to an economic boom which prompted an inflation that had to be retracted by a newer law restricting the mining of lower class ores to maintain a relatively balanced economic monetary value used by low-class devils. Other prominent lands include the Duchy of Bathin, Duchy of Eligos, Duchy of Zepar, Marq of Leraje, and County of Botis.

The eighth territory, **Apollyon** , is a large steppes with very few permanent holdings located over it vast lands. The cause of this was the many battles fought and bloodied over this region between the Maou and the Grigori, which saw a territorial division that settled the land once known as Alvilag into the devil controlled Apollyon, and fallen angel controlled Azazael. This division is not without border tensions despite a ceasefire over the region. Many devils who have accidently migrated unto Azazel have never been heard from again, and the same is said for fallen angels in Apollyon. Its administrative capital of Abaddon lies within the Barony of Abbadon, ruled by the clan of the same name. The Viceroyalties of Rosencrutz and St. Germain are located here, as are the Baronys of Choronzon, Arioch and Adramelech. Following the conclusion of the Devil Civil War, Apollyon was designated as a relocation for thirty-five of the seventy-seven clans of Djinn who were uprooted from their lands in Jahannam, all of whom held the rank of Emir; Fuqtus, 'Mrd, Kywan, Shimr'al, Firuz, Mhaqal, Zaynab, Syduk, Jndrb, Siyyar, Zanbur, al-Da'hs, Kawkab, Hamran, Dahir, Qarun, Shidad, Sa'sa'ah, Baktan, Harthamah, Takallum, Furuq, Hurmiz, Hamhamah, 'Ayzar, Mazahim, Murrah, Fatrah, al-Haym, Arhbh, Khyth', Khyfth, Rayah, Zuhal, Zawba'ah, and Mhtukara. Due to the vastness of the lands, there are large varieties of livestock of all different breeds are ranged daily across the bountifully grassy and open fields.

The ninth territory, **Malebolge** , is a mixture of thick brush and steep hills with very few passages allowing for travel around the region, making it very difficult to monitor proactively, which lead to the creation of knightly clans to sheriff the region on a daily basis and bring the lawless to heel. The administrative capital and meeting place of the knights in Malebranche is also the seat of the Earldom of Furcas. The prisons of Malebranche are formed into a large rings hovering over a giant pit with an echoless bottom, where only the vilest of criminals not sentenced to death are sent. Some legends say that the bottom of the pits is a river of molten tar, but there has been no confirmation nor denial. Petty criminals stay relatively close to ground level, and serious criminals descend further from the light. The Viceroyalty of Cagliostro is located here also, as are all the Knightly Fiefdoms of the Demonic Order of the Knights of Malebranche; Alichino, Barbariccia, Cagnazzo, Calcabrina, Ciriatto, Draghignazzo, Farfarello, Graffiacane, Libicocco, Malacoda, Rubicante, and Scarmiglione. As with the situation with Apollyon, seven of the djinn clans who previous held rank as Sultans have been relocated here; Danhash, Shakhba, Marbaya, 'Abara, Mismar, Namudarki, and Bakhtash.

The tenth and final territory, **Phlegethon** , named after the River Phlegethon, the [River of Fire], with runs to its border with Tartarus, was originally held in Greek pantheon control until an invasion and occupation of the region lasting three thousand years was settled with a boundary drawn up separating both pantheons along the river's banks. Its administrative capital, Pyri-on-Phlegethon, centres on the shallowest and narrowest point at the ford between Phlegethon and Tartarus, where it stands guard even to this day from a potential invasion. The city is part of the Barony of Phlegyus, but the territory also consists of the Baronys of Charon and Shaher. The Viceroyalty of Shinami too is located here. As with the situation in both Apollyon and Malebolge, thirty-five other djinn clans who previously held rank as Emirs have been relocated here; Hayshab, Tq'ytan, Wqas, Qdmnh, Mufarrish, Ayra'il, Nizar, Shftil, Dywyd, Ankara, Khatufah, Tnkyush, Misalqar, Qadim, Ashja', Nawdar, Tythamah, 'Usar, Thu'ban, Naman, Nmudrky, Tyabur, Sahitun, 'Udhafir, Mirdas, Shytub, Za'rush, Sakhr, al-'Aramram, Khashram, Shadhan, al-Harith, al-Hurth, 'Adhirah, and Faqruf.

* * *

 _A visit for the dead_

 _invokes sorrow, all the while_

 _a goddess watches._

 _A grave marked in stone._

 _A grave dug without exit._

 _A grave choice of words._

 _If tranquility_

 _were as many as blossoms,_

 _we could find our peace._

* * *

 **Omake XIV: Escaped?**

 **Alek:** (arrives on screen, arms still bound in chains behind his back, but swiveling his legs to move) Yes. I finally got away from that S &M enthusiast. I would use worse words, but I'm the pervert here for enjoying some o- (realises the readers are here) Oh. Hello. Don't mind me. I'm delusional and all from the excessive torturing. (blushing while reminiscing) A-and it's very hot in these chains as you may have noticed. Yes, Glepnir also serves as an electric blanket so- . . . you're not buying any of this are you?

Never mind that, I have returned with another chapter. You'll be happy to know that this is the last of the original events before the traditional starting point in the series, so next chapter will be picking up from when both the Anime and Light Novels originally started. Also, this is a very special chapter, because this day one year ago was when I published the first ever chapter of this fanfiction, so let loose those poppers everyone!

(awkward silence)

. . . Yeah, sorry. My bad that was two da-, no thre-. Four. It was Four days ago. Sorry, so sorry about that. I meant to get it out, but I wasn't quite finished with it, so it's come out late. (clears throat) As of this moment, there are **225 reviews** , **427** **f** **avourites** , and **489 followers**. (waits for the cheers, but there are none) . . . yes. So on behalf of myself and to all of you who stuck around this long despite how inconsistent this fanfiction has been. Thank you. Thank you all who made this possible, whether it was your kind words, helpful tips, and just general patience of most of you who decided that this was worth keeping informed on.

On another note; I don't own the character "Alexander von Brandenburg". Surprisingly, he's not one of my OC characters, but belongs to one of my reviewers and another user; **WarsmithDantioch**. Back in 5th July, he asked me by private e-mail for permission to use a few of the more in depth background information I had made up for the purpose of this fanfiction, and I said yes. Don't worry, it isn't too much stuff that has anything much related to this story, but just some names of Devil nobles that most of you will not think relevant.

Now, his fiction **Beyond the Point of Death** currently has 11 chapters up. I'm in no way saying you should read it because I'm telling you to, just I quite enjoy seeing what he has written and I think it's worth a read if you want something more original.

I didn't ask him for permission, because I wanted it to be a surprise. Um, so; Surprise! And please don't sue me. I also made up a faux history since both our stories are in entirely different universes, so all characters are unrelated and there is no crossovers what so ever. Just remember that.

Alright, I'll get to the reviews for this chapter;

『 **To Guest (1):** I think you mean 'selfless', but I get what you're trying to say.

 **To User:Dr4cul:** 1\. Yes. That is exactly what happened. 2. Yeah, that's my fault. I forget about ending some sentences because I write a bit here and bit there and then I try to link them up, but forget to finish others. I do try to fix them when i find them, but I still miss a few after I publish them.

 **To User:WarsmithDantioch:** Thanks, and no sweat

 **To User:desdelor:** Thank you.

 **To User:RedSS:** How did you know?!- Er. I mean *ahem* maybe. Maybe.

 **To User:darth56:** Thank you so much.

 **To User:bk42bk42:** Damn, I wish i could have been there to see it. I'll get there (eventually), but's it's still a struggle to move around at the moment.

 **To User:RH-Exclaibur:** Thank you, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit longer for that. If you can't, then I'm sorry.

 **To User:AcclaimingTR:** Thanks.

 **To User:Hydrocell2:** Thank you, and believe me when I say that when the story reaches that point to really analyse it, you should be able to better understand how it became like that.

 **To User:Kenshin135:** Yeah, I can understand that, but I promise you I got better as I started writing more.

 **To User:percy_zoe_and_artemis_fan:** Well I hope your wish was satisfied.

 **To Guest (2):** Thank you very much.

 **To User:sao_for_life:** Thank you.

 **To Guest (3):** I understand how frustrated you are, but using google translate to write a poorly written complaint in Spanish isn't helpful to me not to yourself.

And **to moron_1:** No! Not my family jewels! I've done it! I've done it! Just don't hurt me, please!』

(clears throat) So, with tha-

 **Akeno:** (voice off-screen) Arara. So, you did manage to escape. Well, looks like someone needs to punish you for it. Ufufu.

 **Alek:** (in a panic) No. No! Need to get away! Hop! Hop! Hop, and awa- (trips over and falls to his stomach) Ow! *tss* No time to get up. Crawl! Crawl! Crawl like my life depends on it! Crawl! Crawl! (crawls off-screen like a worm)

 **Akeno:** (appears) Oh my, even with that heavy chain, he still thinks he can get away. (sees the readers watching). Ufufu. In such a hurry that he forgot to thank them for reading and everything. Not even enough time just to say until next time and everything. You're so cruel. Not even a usual 'Bye-Bye' before ending the review.

 **Alek:** (voice off-screen) Bye-Bye!-

 **Akeno:** (smiling) Oh, there you are. Arara. (runs after him)

 **Alek:** (voice off-screen) Eek! (sound of crawling intensifies)

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, and review at your nearest convenience.**

 **Special thanks to 'Guest' (1), 'Dr4cul', 'WarsmithDantioch',** **'desdelor',** **'RedSS',** **'darth56',** **'bk42bk42',** **'RH-Excalibur',** **'AcclaimingTR',** **'Hydrocell2', 'Kenshin135', 'percy zoe and artemis fan, 'Guest' (2),** **'sao for life',** **'Guest' (3), and 'moron 1' for their reviews, I really do appreciate it.**

 **Next time, we finally reached the official canon (aka Volume 1/Episode 1). There are going to be some alterations, but that as to be expected.**

 **Well, until next time everyone (whenever that is). Bye!**


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